Wingbeats and Heartbeats
by SillyLeafHamster
Summary: Sophie Hatter leads a very boring routine: work, rest, then more work. It's the pattern she's been used to her whole life. But what will happen when a certain stranger steps in and turns her life upside down? And what will she do when he reveals to her a secret like no other?
1. Ordinary Stable Girl

**A/N: Hey guys! SillyLeaf here! See this? This is the first chapter of my new HMC story, Wingbeats and Heartbeats! Its not the one I mentioned earlier, because I got bored of that one. This ones even better! Lots of fluff, fantasy, and romance will ensue! **

**This is movie-verse, since Im absoloutely in love with the film, but there are hints of book. So if you dont like the movie, or HowlxSophie, don't read! **

**Also, just to warn you, this first chapter is really boring and quite vague. Its mostly introduction. **

**Disclaimer: I dont own Howl's Moving Castle. Never have, never will. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1: Ordinary Stable Girl<span>**

"Sophie! Aribba's stall needs to be cleaned still!"

Sophie huffed as she shoveled out waste from the stall she was currently cleaning. She dumped the droppings in the muck bucket and leaned back against the wall, wiping perspiration from her brow. She sighed tiredly.

"Now please Sophie!"

Sophie growled. "OKAY!" she shouted back. Sweeping mouse-brown hair from her eyes, she inspected the stall, making sure it was clean before heading down the aisle to Aribba's stall. She sighed. In all honesty, she hated this job. Cleaning horse stalls was just not her cup of sugar. Making hats was. But she couldn't make enough money doing that. Sophie sighed again as she remembered the conversation she and her mother had a few months back.

_Sophie sat at the counter of her father's hat shop, utterly bored. Business was slow as usual. It had been ever since her father passed away over a year ago. She and her mother, Honey, were in charge of it now, but the latter was rarely ever there. She tapped her fingers absent-mindedly on the countertop, watching townspeople pass by, not one of them stopping inside the shop._

_This is ridiculous, Sophie thought._

_Quite suddenly though, an elegant looking woman dressed in a yellow gown burst through the doors. She ran up to Sophie, a panicked look on her face._

_"Oh Sophie, its horrible! We don't have enough money to keep the shop open!" she cried. Sophie blinked, mouth falling open a little. She stared in shock at the woman before her._

_"W-what?"_

_"Its true! We just don't have enough customers to keep this place running! We're going to have to sell the shop!"_

_Sophie gulped. No, she wouldn't let this happen._

_She shook her head. "I won't let that happen. I'll do whatever it takes to keep Father's shop open, Mother."_

_Honey gazed at her sympathetically. She knew how much her daughter loved the shop. "But Sophie, how do you intend to do that?" she asked._

_Sophie looked down at her hands, thinking. What could she do?_

_Her mother watched her for a few moments, then brightened considerably._

_"You could find another job," she suggested. Sophied lifted her gaze to meet Honey's._

_"What job? There's not much out there nowadays.." Honey thought for a moment, then grinned._

_"I hear the King's looking for stable workers in Kingsbury. It wouldn't be very hard an I'm sure he would pay handsomely."_

_Sophie grimaced. Stall cleaning? Such a dirty job! But what choice did she have? She sighed._

_"But won't that mean I'll have to move to Kingsbury? Who would take care of the shop?"_

_Honey waved her hand dismissively. "I'll have Lettie and Martha watch over the shop. I will pop in every now and then as well. Don't worry about it." She looked pleadingly at Sophie. "So will you do it?"_

_Sophie looked away and thought for a moment. She really needed to make some money. And the shop was a ghost town most of the time.. Maybe cleaning stalls wouldn't be so bad? She would get to be around horses, afterall. Sophie made her decision._

_"I'll do it."_

_"Wonderful! I'll inform your sisters and have a carriage sent right away! Pack your things!" Honey swept out of the shop and back into the busy streets of Market Chipping. Sophie stared after her for a moment before heading out the back door and crossing over to her apartment. She reached her room and stepped inside. Pulling a bag out from under the bed, she opened it and stuffed all her clothes inside. Sophie took one last long look at her bedroom before closing the door and heading back to the shop. Upon returning, she was met by her positively shining mother and a fancy carriage._

_"She can afford all those nice dresses and carriage rides, but she can't even afford to keep the shop open," Sophie grumbled as she lugged her bag to the coach._

_Honey kissed her goodbye and gave her some money for an Inn before Sophie stepped into the carriage, smiling sadly. The door closed and they were off. Her mother waved behind them as the carriage rode off down the street. Sophie sighed and leaned against the window. She fell asleep before too long, dreaming of horses and hats._

Sophie remembered that day clearly. When she had reached the city, she had rented a room at a comfy Inn and stayed there until she had earned enough to buy an apartment. The King had hired her, and Sophie had been working in the royal stable ever since. She has now been in the city for three months, working weekdays and resting on weekends. After only a few weeks, she began despising her job. She was always sore, and the older stableboys never left her alone. Sophie had learned how to yell viciously enough to keep them away. She had only one friend, Lia, and she only worked Mondays and Tuesdays.

Sophie reached the end of the aisle and Aribba's stall. Aribba was a beautiful pinto Arabian with soft fur and gentle eyes. But she was horribly messy. Sophie groaned when she saw the mess in the stall. The other workers always purposely missed this stall and she would always end up cleaning it. Today was no different.

Sophie pulled up the muck bucket and set to work. Will, the boy who had called for her, had left as soon as she replied. He didn't want to end up helping.

After half an hour of shoveling and scraping, the stall was clean. Sophie stepped out and dragged an arm over her face.

_Finally done_, or so she thought. Nobody had bothered to feed or fill the water buckets before leaving. Now, all alone, she would have to do it. Sophie growled.

This was, by far, the worst job ever.

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><p><strong>Yes I know, it sucks. But it will get better! I promise! Chapter two is finished and just needs to be typed.<strong>

**Sophie and Howl will meet next chapter, so don't worry! **

**Any questions will be answered in the next update. And updates won't be too long in between. Just thought id let ya know. I will NOT be one of those writers who just randomly stop updating and disappear without saying a word.**

**Reviews are much appreciated!**

**Until next time!**

**~SillyLeaf**


	2. The Stranger

**A/N: Hey guys! Heres the next update! At 2 am...**

**Its pretty obvious what will happen in this chapter. The title gives it all away. Lol, oh wellz. **

**Oh and I forgot to say last chapter, Sophie's job is pretty much based off mine. Cleaning stalls, leading horses, feeding, sweeping, all that _fun _stuff. Everything she does is what I have to do every weekend. Yeah, not fun. At least we're both getting paid! ^_^**

**Thanks to all the reviews so far. They are really encouraging me to keep going!**

**Oh and I almost forgot; Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it! Tomorrow (since its currently 2 am for me) is Christmas and I hope you all have lots of fun with your families and get everything (or mostly everything) you wanted. Eat lots, sleep lots, and have a fantastic holiday! (Whole two weeks off, YESH!) Chapter 3 is written and ready to be typed, so look forward to that. **

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter! Hopefully its better than the last one! ;D**

**Disclaimer: If I owned HMC, Howl and Sophie would be eating eachothers faces most of the movie.**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 2: The Blonde Stranger<span>**

An uneventful week passed for the eighteen year old Sophie. Each day was the same, except for the weekend, where she lazed about for the majority of her free time. It was now Thursday. Just two more days before she could sit around and act like a couch potato again. Thats all Sophie ever really does on her days off. The weeks were just so exhausting for the poor girl. And she wasn't even making that much! Sophie was starting to think this whole second job idea was pointless and she should just go home. All the money she did make was just going towards the rent for her apartment anyways.

The brown-haired girl now stood outside the great doors to the royal stable. She sighed. Another boring day cleaning up horse manure. With a swish of her dull grey dress, she headed around the back to the employee entrance. She reached the door and opened it, peeking inside. She was greeted by darkness and quiet; nobody was there yet. Sophie groaned.

_I bet nobody even decided to show up today_, she seethed in her head.

Walking inside, she took her hat off and turned on the lights. She set her hat down on a desk in the corner and signed in for the day. Looking at the sign up card, she searched for other names. None.

"Figures." Sophie hung her hat on the hat rack and tightened her boots. Just as she turned to leave, however, a white piece of parchment on the wall caught her eye. She walked over to it and read it. Phoenix stays in today. Sophie made a mental note of the message and tried to remember which of the thirty-nine horses was Phoenix. She walked into the main barn and grabbed some leadropes. Seeing as she was by herself, taking the horses out to the pastures would take a while. She put halters on and got started.

Thirty-six horses and two colts later, Sophie came back into the barn. Her normally beautiful brown hair now resembled that of an old rat's nest and her work dress was stained with dirt. Taking out that many horses alone isn't easy.

Tired and fairly flustered, the brunette made her way to the tack shelf and hung up the lead ropes. She looked down the stall rows, checking to make sure she got everyone, except for Phoenix. She had remembered to leave him in. The stunning black arabian was in the first stall on the far left. She gazed at him, awed by his beautiful shining coat and well groomed mane. His owner must be very picky about the appearance of his steed.

Tearing her gaze away from the elegant stallion, Sophie walked over to the supplies closet and pulled out a pitchfork and muck bucket. She dragged them over to the stall opposite Phoenix's and got started. The curious horse's eyes followed her as she moved back and forth, dumping foul-smelling waste into the bucket.

When she was finished, she stepped out of the stall and leaned against the door. She was already exhausted.

Sophie's eyes caught Phoenix's and they watched eachother curiously. After a few minutes, Phoenix whinnied and swished his tail. Sophie smiled and crossed over to his door. She reached her hand through the bars and stroked his forehead. The young stallion snorted and leaned into her touch. Sophie giggled and rubbed his nose.

"My, your gentle. And so pretty too." Phoenix whinnied, as if he understood her. Sophie pulled her hand back and slid the door open. She stepped into the stall and patted his neck. Moving her hand to his back, she rubbed his shiny black fur. Sophie was really starting to like this horse.

"You know, I think your becoming my favorite horse in the whole barn," she commented. Phoenix tossed his head around to nip her shoulder lightly. Sophie giggled again and returned her hands to his long face. He made a soft sort of purring noise at her touch. Sophie was tempted to wrap her arms around his soft neck and just forget about all her troubles. After a few more minutes of petting and rubbing his face, she did just that. She buried her face in his neck and tangled her fingers in his mane. Phoenix didn't seem to mind at all. She stayed like this for a few minutes, not noticing the quiet footsteps walking towards them. Phoenix heard though, for he pinned his ears and snorted at the newcomer. The footsteps stopped at the stall door. Sophie remained oblivious, too deep in her thoughts.

"I see you like my horse."

Sophie's eyes snapped open and she whirled around to face the stall door. She gasped as her gaze fell upon a very handsome man with a scarlet and grey jacket and long flaxen hair. Two very blue eyes stared amusedly at her from behind golden bangs.

Sophie gulped and looked at the ground. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't b-be in here-"

The man held up a hand, silencing her. "It's quite alright. You seem like a nice young woman." He grinned.

Sophie blushed and twiddled her thumbs.

The stranger moved to stand beside her, facing Phoenix. He lifted his hand to pet the stallion's nose, but quickly jerked it back when big teeth snapped at his fingers. Phoenix narrowed his eyes and pinned his ears.

"Easy now," the man cooed in a smooth, relaxed voice.

Sophie watched, slightly amused.

"He doesn't seem to like you."

"He's just upset because I haven't visited him in a while." The man flashed her a grin. "You're a stablegirl, I presume?"

Sophie nodded shakily. "Y-yes..."

"Hmm." The stranger reached into his pocket and pulled out a bright orange carrot. Phoenix's eyes lit up and his ears perked. He rumbled and stamped his hoof in anticipation. The man held the carrot in front of him and Phoenix snatched it away greedily. He snorted happily as he munched on the treat. He didn't mind when the man reached to pet him a second time. "That's better."

Sophie watched in silence. She rather enjoyed watching this handsome stranger interact with his horse.

The man eventually turned back to her, smirking at her dazed expression.

"See something you like?"

Sophie jolted out of her dream-like state, cheeks reddening. "No," she responded quickly. The man's eyebrows rose but he didn't say anything. Instead, he walked around Phoenix and inspected the horse's flank. He ran his hand through the air beside the horse, but never touched him. Sophie stared, confused.

_What is he doing?_ she thought incredulously.

"What's your name?" the man asked suddenly, still facing the horse's side.

"Sophie."

He turned to her and smiled. "Okay Sophie. You seem trustworthy enough. Come here." He beckoned to her with his finger. Sophie hesitated before walking slowly over to him. She stopped next to him and breathed deeply. The smell of hyacinths filled her nostrils.

The man leaned over to speak gently in her ear, "Since you're such a nice young woman, and Phoenix accepts you as a friend, I'd like to show you something." He took her hand in his. Sophie's breath hitched. "Feel this." He gently guided her hand to the space between them and Phoenix. Sophie furrowed her brows together in confusion.

_It's just air- wait... What is that?_ Sophie gasped when her fingers came in contact with something that felt soft and feathery. She squinted at her hand, trying to see what it was she was touching, but all she saw was thin air.

"...What? Is this some kind of joke?" The man laughed, much to Sophie's annoyance.

"It is not a joke, my dear Sophie." He grinned at her. "What do you feel?"

"Something soft... Feathers maybe?"

"Precisely." He reached both arms out to grasp the invisible, feathery... thing. With a gentle tug, a large black wing materialized in front of them. It was connected to the base of Phoenix's shoulder, small black feathers mixing into the horse's equally black fur. Sophie gasped. To say she was surprised was a severe understatement. The girl was shocked beyond words.

The man continued grinning and lifted the wing up. Large black feathers shined silver in the sunlight coming through the window. He inspected them, then dropped the wing gently and moved to Phoenix's other side. Another wing materialized and he repeated the process. Sophie looked on, speechless.

"Normally others aren't allowed to touch Phoenix except for putting his halter on, lest they get in trouble with me. Wouldn't want everyone knowing the great Wizard Howl was in posession of a rare pegasus, now would we?" He dropped the second wing, still grinning.

Sophie gasped a third time. This was the horrible heart-eating Howl? Pegasi were real? Why hadn't he stolen her heart yet? _Pegasi were real?_

The wizard walked back over to Sophie. Her face had gone pale and she was swaying a bit. His eyes widened in alarm and he grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. She shook her head.

"What...? How..?" she murmured, dazed.

"Phoenix is a pegasus. I found him as a colt four years ago. Poor thing lost his parents to a couple of greedy savages who wanted them for their wings. I've been caring for him ever since," Howl explained. He smiled at her. "And yes, I am the 'Horrible Howl' that the townspeople gossip about." There was nothing horrible about his smile, Sophie noted.

She nodded her head slowly, taking it all in. "So.. Pegasi are real?" she managed to choke out. Howl nodded.

"Yes. Pegasi are real."

"What about unicorns and dragons? Are they real?"

Howl laughed. "If only I knew, Sophie," he chuckled.

Sophie looked to the ground. It was a lot to think about. Pegasi were real, there was one in the barn, Howl the heart-eater was standing right in front of her- Wait. Howl. The Heart-eater. Was standing. In front. Of _her_.

Sophie jerked her head up and shrieked, backing out of his grip. Her back hit the wall, and she breathed heavily, trembling in fear. Howl stared at her, confused.

"What-"

"Your Howl the heart-eater!" she squealed.

Howl stared at her for a second, as if she'd grown wings. Then he sighed and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "Don't tell me you believe that nonsense too," he groaned.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Sophie hissed.

Howl walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Sophie shivered. His blue, glass-like eyes peered into hers.

"Sophie. Its not true. I honestly have no idea where and how that rumor came about." He gave her a handsome grin. "I mean really. Who would literally _eat_ another's heart?"

"You."

Howl removed his hand from her shoulder and settled it on his hip, almost in a womanly fashion. He looked at her with amusement. "My my, you're a stubborn little mouse."

Sophie huffed and crossed her arms, more irritated than scared by this point. Were heart-devouring wizards always this arrogant?

The wizard smirked. Judging by the look on her face, he'd won this fight. He decided he might as well keep egging her on, seeing as it was quite amusing and she looked rather cute when she was pouting. Howl crossed his arms as well, mimicking her.

"Do you believe me yet?"

"No."

Howl put on his most mock hurt face he could manage.

Sophie scowled. But his effect was working on her. Staring into those hurt blue eyes, (little did she know he was faking) she lost her resolve and sighed. How could he be lying?

"Fine! I'm sure you would've eaten my heart by now anyways if the rumor was true." Howl smiled in triumph.

Phoenix suddenly nudged him from behind. Howl jumped a bit, totally forgetting that he was there. Turning towards the antsy horse slightly, he patted his nose. "Easy now. We'll go out soon."

Sophie looked at him quizzically. "If Phoenix is supposed to be kept a secret, then why do you keep him here of all places?" she asked.

"Well I can't keep him at my castle, can I? I don't have a stable." Howl smiled sheepishly.

Sophie scoffed. What an answer.

"I'm serious! Besides, the disguise spell keeps his wings pretty well hidden."

"But it doesn't make them disappear completely?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Er... that is correct."

"What if some nosy stableworker decides to come in here and pet him or something?"

"Like you?"

Sophie's mouth opened in protest, but found she had nothing to say to that. He was right, afterall. She closed it again and glared at him.

Howl waved his hand at her. "It doesn't matter anyways. Everyone knows not to go out of his sight range. Phoenix is a pretty good kicker." Phoenix whickered in agreement.

Sophie glanced at the horse. He almost looked... smug. She raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Does he-"

"Yes, he can understand us."

The words died on her tongue. So thats why he seemed to acknowledge her compliments! Sophie's irritated frown fell and was replaced with awe for the pegasus.

"Wow... He's amazing.." she murmured.

Howl chuckled and rubbed Phoenix's forehead. "I guess he is."

A few moments of silence followed, with the wizard petting his horse and Sophie watching intently. Howl snapped his fingers and suddenly a blue velvet halter conjured over Phoenix's head. Sophie gasped for what must've been the millionth time that day. She had never witnessed magic first-hand before.

Howl turned his head to look at her, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Never seen magic before, I take it?" he asked. Sophie shook her head. "Well you better get used to it."

"Why?" she asked as he led the pegasus to the stall door.

Howl paused and smirked at the rather confused girl.

"Because this isn't the last time you'll see me." With a wink, he was out the door and walking down the aisle, Phoenix following closely behind.

Sophie scuttled out of the stall after him. She watched the two retreat down the long hall, heading for the pastures outside.

Tearing her gaze away after a minute, she looked around the barn at the stalls and floor, which seemed much cleaner than when she had come in.

Howl stopped in front of the door that led outside and turned around to see Sophie staring wide-eyed at the spotless stalls. He grinned.

"I cleaned the barn for you so you wouldn't have to do it alone. You deserve a day off with all the work I'm sure you've been doing here," he called. A little bit quieter, he added, "And remember, this is our little secret." Sophie smiled at him, relief showing on her pretty face.

Howl smiled back. A faint, fluttering sensation rose in his chest, but he thought nothing of it. He turned back towards the door and led Phoenix out and away from Sophie's sight. Casting an invisibility spell over the two of them, Howl jumped onto Phoenix's back and grabbed a handful of mane.

"To the castle," he ordered. Phoenix spread his long black wings and took off running towards the pasture. He jumped into the air right before reaching the fence and spiraled away into the sky, disappearing in the white puffy clouds.

Sophie was left standing in the aisle, looking dazed. That last smile was genuine, and breathtaking. And to think he did such a big favor for such a poor, lowly hat maker! Despite all the horrid things she's heard about Wizard Howl, Sophie truely like him. He was arrogant, but kind and caring all the same. Or so she picked up from the ten minutes of talking to him.

For some reason, Sophie just couldn't believe any of the gossip. How could it be true? Surely heart-eater Howl wouldn't magic a whole barn clean for a poor stablegirl? And his pegasus! Why did he reveal such a big secret to her, a girl he's only known for less than an hour? Judging by the last thing he said to her, Sophie assumed she was the only one he had told. The thought warmed her heart. Howl trusted her. But why? It's not like she'd tell anyone, because she wouldn't, but why her?

Sophie was left to ponder these questions for the rest of the day and late into the night.

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><p><strong>So how was it? Great? Average? Terrible? I'll only know if you review!<strong>

**Lots of dialogue, this chapter. But I like dialogue, so its okay! I think.. XD**

**And before you ask, Pegasi is plural for pegasus. Just thought Id throw that out there.. **

**Do either of them seem out of character? Please tell me if they do! Im trying my best to keep them in character. Howls pretty easy but Sophies kind of all over the place. Ill work on that. ;P**

**Oh and sorry if things seem to be going too fast. I just want to get to the fluff! XD **

**More familar characters will show up in the next chapter, so stay with me! **

**Wow, it is now 2:30 am. Time for bed! **

**Night all and Merry christmas! **

**~SillyLeaf**


	3. Restless

**A/N: Hello again guys! I can't tell you how sorry I am for not updating sooner. Its been a busy couple of months, plus I'm on the lazy side. _ But this is finally up, and I feel so relieved. This chapter has actually been finished for a while, since like December actually, but I dont start typing a chapter until the next one is written out. So chapter 4 is also finished, it just needs to be typed. But that won't happen till chapter 5 is written. I use this system so that I don't upload a chapter and then start writing a chapter and I'm all like OH NOEZ, WRITER'S BLOCK! Chapters will be finished and uploaded faster if I write two at a time. So yeah.. **

**In this chapter you'll notice Howl and Sophie's personalities really lean away from the movie and towards the book. Like I mentioned before, this story will contain some book aspects, but it is mostly movie. I just like book Howl's whiney, arrogant attitude and Sophie is better when shes not so mousey. c: That reminds me, I got a copy of the book, and I'm so happy! I'll be rereading it again after I finish the Chrestomanci series (which I'm also coming to like very much. :]) But now Netflix got rid of the movie.. So I'm pissed again. I guess I'll have to go buy that too.. _**

**Anyways enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and will never own Howl's Moving Castle. I wish I owned Howl though. c:**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 3: Restless<span>**

The bed creaked as Sophie rolled around, trying to get comfortable. She tossed and turned, but no matter how hard she tried, sleep would not find her. With a tired groan, she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. The day's events flashed through her head, preventing her from achieving her much needed rest. Images of the blonde wizard with striking blue eyes and smooth voice with whom she encountered earlier that day formed in her mind. Sophie closed her eyes again and uttered a contented sigh.

Moments later, they shot open as she realized who exactly she was thinking about. Sophie heaved a flustered sigh and turned on her side. Ever since their brief meeting, he had been on her mind as she pondered about the mysterious sorcerer. Now he was keeping her from sleeping.

_Why is he invading my thoughts like this? _

Sophie closed her eyes and tried to picture a meadow filled with flowers. She imagined daisies and tulips waving in a gentle breeze. Fluffy clouds scudded as slow as snails across the vast blue sky. A bird twittered happily somewhere in the colorful field. She had a good two minutes of this before the exact person she was trying so hard not to think about appeared, wading through the sea of various sweet smelling flowers, long coat sleeves billowing behind him. He had a content smile on his face.

Sophie shook her head to clear it and instead imagined herself standing atop a tall mountain, looking out over miles and miles of beautiful wilderness. She felt the tug of the wind through her braid, and the semi-chilly air nip her face. Soon enough, however, the wizard materialized beside her with his hand on her shoulder and that handsome, almost smug grin on his face, as if he was laughing at her in her dreams.

Sophie sighed a third time, this time in defeat, and gave in to her imagination, allowing it to create breathtaking images of the arrogant but charming sorcerer.

She fell asleep within minutes.

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><p>Howl opened the door to his magical moving castle and stepped in, shutting it gently behind him. He went up the few steps that led into the living room and strode over to a chair in front of the fireplace. He dumped himself rather unceremoniously into it and propped his feet up on the cold stone of the hearth, a peaceful expression on his face. He sighed contentedly.<p>

A small flame rose up from the charred logs in the hearth and blinked open two eyes. It looked up and regarded the wizard curiously.

"Someone looks happy today."

Howl hummed, a smile forming on his lips. "I am happy, Calcifer."

"That's different. I'm guessing you won over another girl?" the flame, Calcifer, asked skeptically. Howl shook his head, but continued smiling. Calcifer crossed his two little flame arms, confused. "Then what is it?"

"I met a fantastic young woman today. A shy, but stubborn mouse, that one. Quite pretty, too." Calcifer rolled his eyes.

"That was gonna be my second guess," he crackled. "So she didn't fall completely head over heels in love with you?" Howl shook his head again. "Then why aren't you oozing green slime all over the floor?"

"She was different, Calcifer. She's not like all the others. There's something about her that just makes me feel…"

"Giddy?" the demon finished. Howl sighed. Calcifer took that as confirmation and shifted slightly in the pile of ashes that was the grate. "Does that explain why your heart was all fluttery earlier?"

Howl didn't respond. He folded his arms behind his head and rocked the chair on its back legs. Calcifer snorted.

"I'll assume that's a yes."

It was quiet for a few minutes. Howl was still rocking in the chair and thinking about the cute brunette of whom he had met at the royal stable earlier that day. Calcifer watched him, very surprised indeed. He had never seen the vain, arrogant wizard this happy about a girl. A girl who didn't seem fazed in the slightest by his advances. Big shock.

"I told her about Phoenix," Howl spoke up suddenly. Calcifer's eyes widened and his flames roared up.

"You _what?_"

"Told her about Phoenix," Howl repeated, unperturbed by Calcifer's fury. The fire demon waved his fiery hands dismissively.

"Yeah yeah, I heard you the first time. I meant_ why_ did you?" the flame asked, exasperated.

"Because. She seemed like someone I could trust. And she was awfully fond of him, I may add."

Calcifer groaned. Why did Howl always have to make such _stupid_ decisions? "That doesn't mean you can trust her! The whole of Ingary could know by now!"

Howl shook his head. "No. Sophie wouldn't do that. I trust her."

Calcifer crackled irritably. "Whatever. But if a bunch of soldiers show up at the door demanding the horse be handed over, your on your own."

Howl smiled calmly. "It won't happen, I assure you."

"Mmmhm. And if you trust this 'Sophie' so much, why don't you bring her over for a little visit? I'm _sure _she could keep Great Wizard Howl's all-powerful fire demon a secret from all her little friends!" Calcifer hissed.

Howl stood up and headed for the stairs, totally ignoring the demon's sarcastic remark. "I'm tired. Make some hot water for my bath." And with that, he was gone up the staircase.

Calcifer mumbled something that sounded like "slitherer-outer" and ducked beneath his logs.

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><p>Light shined on the busy streets of Kingsbury as people rushed about trying to get to their jobs on time. Sophie was among them, jogging slightly and holding her hat to her head so it wouldn't fly off. She approached the royal palace and veered away towards the stable entrance. She was smiling as she stepped through the employee door, something that rarely happened when she went to work.<p>

A raven haired girl looked up from the desk in the corner as Sophie practically skipped into the room, shutting the door behind her. She beamed when her gaze fell on the girl.

"Good morning, Lia! Fancy seeing you here on a Friday," Sophie greeted cheerfully. She stalked up to the desk next to Lia and signed in.

Lia raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I'm filling in for Shaun." She watched the brunette as she hung her hat up and tightened her boots, her face glowing the entire time. This was so unlike Sophie. She rarely ever smiled at the stable. Lia set her pen down that she had been writing on the sign- up sheet with and placed her hand on her hip. She gave Sophie a queer look.

"What's with the chipper attitude, Sophie?"

Sophie smiled up at her friend and co-worker. "Just happy I guess."

Lia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You're never _just_ _happy._ Did something happen?"

Sophie focused her attention back on tying her boots. "Maybe."

"Spill."

Sophie sighed and stood up, brushing off her dress. She opened her mouth to tell Lia about her meeting with the charming wizard Howl, but was interrupted by a loud yelling coming from the barn. She and Lia turned their heads towards the door, eyes widened in surprise. Another yell was heard, followed by someone shouting "PHOENIX!"

The two girls glanced at each other and rushed out the door into the barn.

A most peculiar sight stopped them in their tracks. There, laying in the middle of the aisle with an obviously very angry black horse standing over him was none other than Howl. He was pinned to the floor by Phoenix's large hooves on the sleeves of his grey and scarlet checkered jacket. The wizard glared up at his attacker, whose face was only inches from his.

"Get off me, you wretched beast!" he snarled. Phoenix snorted, not budging.

Sophie covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. He looked ridiculous! A small snicker escaped her throat. Howl heard it and turned his head to look at her and the very shocked Lia. He gazed pleadingly at Sophie.

"Sophie! Help!" he croaked, his voice unnaturally high. Sophie bust out laughing, startling Lia and irritating Howl. He furrowed his brows. "Stop laughing and get this damned horse off me!" he yelled. Sophie nodded and covered her mouth, stifling more laughter. She jogged up to him and Phoenix, leaving a bewildered Lia standing dumbly in the aisle.

Sophie sniggered as she grabbed a halter and flung it around Phoenix's neck. She made a clucking noise to him and tugged at the halter. Phoenix snorted again but obeyed and stepped off the disgruntled wizard. He swung his head around to Sophie and perked his ears. Sophie rubbed his forehead while Howl picked himself up off the floor and dusted his jacket.

Sophie turned to Howl with an amused look. "What was that all about?"

"The damn thing jumped me!" he exclaimed, smoothing out his ruffled shirt. Sophie giggled.

"He really doesn't like you."

Howl scoffed. "After all I've done for the beast, and this is how he repays me!" Phoenix turned his head to bite Howl's arm. Luckily, the wizard jumped away just in time. "See?" he cried.

Sophie laughed and drew Phoenix into his stall. She took the halter off and set it on a hook on the stall door. Reaching her hand in her dress pocket, she pulled out an apple she was saving for lunch. She held it out to Phoenix, who snatched it greedily.

"Don't reward him! He almost ruined my coat!" Howl whined.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Your coat is fine. Stop acting like a baby." She stepped out of the stall and slid the door shut behind her. She turned to Howl, who looked slightly taken aback, and raised an eyebrow. "What did you do to set him off anyways?"

"Nothing, I tell you! I just opened the door and he flew atme!" Howl retorted defensively.

"Well that confirms the 'Phoenix hates Howl' theory." Sophie giggled. Howl crossed his arms and glared at her, while Sophie smiled calmly back. It was a very similar picture to yesterday, except that Howl was the one pouting.

Eventually, Howl's frown twisted into a smile and his arms fell. Hazel-brown eyes stared into Colombia blues.

Sophie continued to smile. She didn't know why, but she felt oddly comfortable around this man. She felt like she could tell him anything, even though they had only known each other a day. His smile was so charming, and his eyes captivating. Sophie felt herself getting lost in them.

Howl took a step closer, shortening the distance between them.

_He's so handsome, and I feel so safe around him… His smile is the most gorgeous I've ever seen… _Sophie's cheeks flushed and her smile faltered. She shook her head. _What's wrong with me? Stop thinking like that!_ she mentally scolded herself. Howl's smile fell with hers.

"Sophie? What's wrong?"

Sophie lifted her gaze back to his. "Nothing." She smiled reassuringly.

Howl opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when Lia snapped out of her trance-like state and rushed up to them.

"Can I have an explanation please?" she demanded.

Sophie rubbed her forehead. "Fine. Lia, this is Howl. Howl, Lia."

Howl extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Lia ignored him and stared at Sophie with surprise. "Are you two a couple?"

"_NO!"_ Sophie shrieked. Lia took a step back.

"Okay, okay, relax. I was just curious." She glanced at Howl, who was for some reason smirking, and looked back at Sophie. "You know what, talk to me later. Hurry up, though. There are a lot of stalls to clean," she said before turning on her heel and heading for the equipment room.

After she left, Howl sidled up to Sophie and rested an arm around her shoulders. Sophie froze as a blush crept up her cheeks.

"Your friend's not much fun," he noted. Sophie didn't say anything. Howl leaned down so his face was right next to her ear. "Accompany me to dinner this evening?" he asked softly. Sophie's breath hitched. No one had ever asked her to dinner before.

_Oh, what do I say?_

"Well I-"

Howl cut her off. "Wonderful!" he stepped back and beamed at her. "Meet me at the fountain in front of the palace gates tonight at seven-thirty." He swept past her, glaring daggers at Phoenix as he went by. Sophie stood rooted to the floor, mouth slightly open. She watched Howl as he retreated down the aisle and disappeared out the door, not even waiting for a reply. She blinked.

"What just happened?" she asked no one in particular. Phoenix snorted and bent down to eat his hay. Sophie shook her head and walked back to the equipment room where Lia disappeared earlier. She grabbed a pitchfork and joined her friend in the next aisle, thinking all the while about her upcoming 'date' with the eccentric Wizard Howl.

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><p><strong>Hope this chapter was enjoyable. Hooray for HowlSophie-ness! <strong>

**Chapter 4 should be up in the next 2-4 weeks, depending if I can write chapter 5 without those darn brain farts. I seriously have no idea what I want to write for chapter 5. X) **

**Please review! It's how I know you care. c:**

**~SillyLeaf**


	4. A Pleasant Evening

**AN: Oh. My. God. You can all kill me now. 'Cause seriously, taking this long to update is ridiculous. -_-'**

**This chappie took FOREVER. Well, the typing did anyways. I've just had so much going on in the past couple months. Tests, homework, outrageous projects, more tests, you get it. Plus, I'm lazy. **

**But I bring good news as well.**

**School will be out soon (two and a half weeks to be exact) and I will have TONS more time to work on this. I'm really excited, and I'm sure you guys are too. I mean, who _doesn't_ love summer? 3**

**Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Its been a long and grueling process, with many nights of lost sleep. **

**WARNING: Slight fluff ahead!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own this lovely movie/book. **

**Without further adieu, I give you the fourth chapter!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4: A Pleasant Evening<span>

"He _what?_" Lia gasped, staring wide-eyed and mouth-agape at Sophie, who was cleaning her stall, oblivious to her friend's state of panic.

"Asked me to dinner," Sophie said simply.

Lia sputtered. "But…but… he's heart-eating Howl! He'll steal your heart quicker than you can utter a greeting!"

"Nonsense. If he was a heart-eater, he would've done it already." Sophie sighed. "Besides, I'm not pretty," she added dejectedly.

"Don't give me that! He could be dangerous Sophie!" Lia snapped.

Sophie shook her head and glanced at the clock. She gasped, dropping her pitchfork. "I have to go!" She ran out of the stall and threw her fork in the supply room. Lia stared up at the clock, eyebrow raised. She crossed her arms and stared after Sophie skeptically.

"It's only four-thirty."

"Yeah, and I have to get ready! I very well can't go to dinner smelling like a horse's behind!"

Lia pouted. "But we're not finished!"

Sophie backed out of the supply room and took off at a fast jog down the aisle. "There's only a few stalls left, I think you can manage!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared out the back door, braid flying. Lia scowled and peeked inside each of the remaining stalls. Each one was horribly messy and reeked of manure. She grit her teeth.

"Bother that girl!"

Across the barn, Phoenix whinnied in laughter.

.:-*-:.

Two and a half hours later, Sophie stepped out of her room, clean and properly dressed. Well, as proper as a dull blue, drabby dress with a strict collar can get anyway.

Sophie locked the door behind her and skipped down the stairs, her braided brunette plait of hair bouncing wildly behind her. She jogged out of the apartment building and stopped in the street. People were milling about, dressed in fancy clothing and probably heading out for evenings similar to hers. A few wealthy looking women passed her, sending disapproving looks at her shabby dress. Sophie realized how much she must stick out among all these elegantly dressed citizens. There was no time to worry about that, though. She had to get to the palace gates and the fountain.

Sophie walked quickly and quietly down the street, sticking to the shadows and avoiding other oncoming pedestrians. Lucky for her, the palace was only a few blocks away. Her heart started to race as she neared the front gates. She could see the magnificent stone fountain ahead, crystal clear water pouring softly and gently into the stone bowl below. Upon reaching it, Sophie's excitement fled.

He wasn't there.

Sophie looked up at the clock tower. Seven-thirty. She arrived on time, but where was Howl? He had said to meet him there… Surely he wouldn't have stood her up? Sophie gazed around, looking for any sign that he might be coming. Nothing. She sighed and plopped down on the edge of the fountain, head in hands.

She had heard typical female gossip in the hat shop about dates who didn't show up for their planned event. The women always sounded so upset, and in one instance one had even started crying. Sophie remembered the girl's friends trying to console her. She hadn't the patience to listen, though, so she had moved to the back room to work on some more hats.

Sophie was never interested in love, especially since she had heard about the woes and pains of a broken heart. Besides, she was the eldest of three. There was no future for her.

Sophie could feel her eyes watering, tears threatening to slip. She never should've gotten her hopes up. What struck her as odd and made her blood boil with anger was that _he_ invited _her _to dinner. And he didn't show up. _The nerve!_ Another part of Sophie's mind was telling her that he forgot. It was a possibility. He is a powerful wizard after all and probably has a lot of spellwork to do… But then again, he might've found another girl to take out. This thought made Sophie furious. _I never should've come out_, she thought miserably, but waited on the fountain nonetheless.

When at last the urge to go home got the best of her, she stood up and turned to leave. A voice stopped her.

"Sorry I'm late. Had some important business to attend to."

Sophie whirled around just in time to see Howl step from the shadows. He smiled a dazzling smile. The dim light from the street lanterns shown upon him turning his fair hair almost white and giving his whole appearance an ethereal glow. He looked _angelic._

Howl halted two feet in front of her, eyes shining. He took her hand and kissed it. "Good evening Sophie. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long."

Sophie stood rooted to spot, hand still resting gently in his. "Not at all," she breathed. Howl grinned and offered his arm. Sophie dazedly linked her arm through his. Even the simple contact made her heart flutter.

Howl proceeded to lead her down the street away from the fountain. Everything was fairly quiet except for the sound of their footfalls on the smooth cobblestones. The couple walked in silence for a few blocks. Eventually, the need to speak got the best of Sophie. She looked up at Howl.

"So where are you taking me?"

"Only to the best eatery in Kingsbury," Howl replied. Sophie raised an eyebrow.

"And what would that be, if I may ask?"

"Why, Romanti's of course!" he grinned.

"Never heard of it."

Howl's gaze shifted to her, eyes wide. "Never?"

Sophie shook her head.

"So your telling me you have lived in the here in the capitol who knows how long, yet you have never been to Romanti's, let alone even heard of it?" Howl asked, surprise evident in his voice.

Sophie whipped her head around, a ferocious glare marring her pretty features. Howl frowned at this. "Do you ever stop to think that maybe I can't afford a place as fancy as you say? And maybe the only things I have time for are work and rest? All I ever do is work, work, work! And I can hardly afford my apartment! Not to mention I haven't lived here very long," she snapped.

Howl was taken aback by this sudden outburst. In the short time since she had come into his life, he had known her as the mousy, reserved stablegirl with a hint of stubbornness. _I guess she's more than that._ "Well you're here now," he said.

"And I'm lucky to be," Sophie grumbled. Howl blinked, eyebrows raised, but let the subject drop. He fixed his gaze on the road.

Silence engulfed them once again. Neither cared to speak, Howl not wanting to upset Sophie a second time and Sophie too ruffled to trust her tongue. So on they walked, passing dimly lit pubs and drunkards laughing on the sidewalks.

After a short while, Howl spoke up softly, "We're nearly there." Sophie shook her head and blinked to clear her clouded eyes. She hadn't really been paying attention to anything during their walk and had let Howl lead her. Now she looked up at the approaching restaurant, gasping at its mere appearance. The outside décor was quite exquisite and a crowd of equally fancy people stood outside on the verandah. The whole place was lit up with some kind of light that Sophie had never seen before. She was awed.

"That's the place?" she breathed. Howl nodded, his long flaxen hair bouncing slightly, attractively.

Sophie stared at all the fancy suits and gowns, swishing and swaying as their wearers mingled and moved about. Then, coming to a sort of realization, her gaze shot down to her dull dress. There was absolutely nothing fancy about it. _I'll stick out like a raven in the snow! _"Howl I can't go in there! Look at my dress! It looks like garbage compared to all these nice clothes, including yours! I'll stick out horribly!" she hissed.

"No you won't." Howl waved his free arm towards her. Sophie tensed as she felt the tingle of magic sweep over her body. What was he doing? When she dared to look down, she inhaled sharply. She was wearing a modest, dark blue gown with silver tendrils of thread trailing up the hip and over her breast. A shimmering blue pendent hung by a gold chain around her neck and rested against her chest. It was very similar, if not identical, to Howl's, Sophie noted. When her eyes wandered towards the bottom of the extravagant dress, she could just see the tips of her brown boots poking out from under the blue fabric. _Well, _she thought, _at least he fixed my dress._

Howl stopped them a short distance from the crowd and turned to inspect his work. A satisfied smile crept onto his features as he admired her. "There. Now you'll fit right in."

Sophie smiled back, her cheeks a slight shade of rose. "Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome," Howl returned warmly. He gestured to the open doors of the restaurant. "Let's go in, shall we?"

They continued the short walk up to the patio and stepped inside the double-doors. Sophie's eyes roamed the grand room that greeted them in awe. Shining oak wood tables were scattered about with red cushioned seats surrounding them. Many of the tables were occupied by elegantly dressed, obviously wealthy people. Red ribbon was strung up here and there, and the title "Romanti's" was painted in magnificent lettering on the far wall. Sweetly scented candles were placed in the center of every table, alone with a vase of blood-red roses. The lighting was somewhat dim, giving the room a romantic sort of atmosphere, just as the name suggests. The noise level, surprisingly, was a quiet murmur, as if speaking any louder would shatter the very feel of the restaurant. The place was truly exquisite.

Sophie was so absorbed in her admiration that she failed to notice their waiter, dressed in a crimson vest, lead them away to a table. Her feet moved automatically as Howl, still arm-in-arm with her, followed him.

The waiter showed them to a table and Howl thanked him before nudging Sophie. She blinked and turned her head to look at him. He smiled and unhooked his arm from hers to pull out a chair for her. Sophie smiled gratefully and seated herself on the cushion. Howl pushed the chair back in moved to sit in his own across from her. They stared at each other in silence, finding nothing to say right then. Sophie began to fidget nervously after a couple minutes, cheeks flushing. She turned her attention to the room around her, her lap, the candle, other people, anything but his gorgeous blue eyes.

Howl's lips twitched up in amusement as he watched her survey the room with pretend interest. He knew the effect he had on her-all women really- and he was loving every moment of it.

The waiter came back with a couple glasses of water and asked for their orders. Howl turned his gaze to the waiter- much to Sophie's relief- and gave him his. When the waiter jotted it down, he turned to Sophie. She looked up at him curiously for a moment, then realized she hadn't even so much as glanced at her menu.

"Oh! I'll just have the… uhm.." she threw open her menu, "the… uh..." _Goodness! Why are there so many choices? _"Uh.."

"She'll have what I'm having, thank you," Howl spoke up. The waiter scribbled some more on his notepad, bowed, and scurried away. Sophie lifted her head slightly, glaring at him over her menu. He smiled back, unperturbed. "Don't worry Sophie dear, I'm quite certain you'll enjoy what I've ordered for you. It's only the best entrée in the house."

Sophie lowered the menu and slid it aside. She took a sip from her water and rubbed her forehead, suddenly feeling very tired. Howl's calm demeanor immediately turned into one of concern.

"Something wrong, Sophie?"

"No, just exhausted."

"Hmmm. Is the King making you work hard?"

Sophie shook her head. "The King doesn't give us our orders. The stable manager does."

Howl nodded in understanding. "Ah. Is he harsh?"

Sophie peeked at him through the fingers that were now pressed against her face. "You have met him, haven't you? You're at the stable every day to see Phoenix. Or at least that's what I assume," she said irritably.

"Not necessarily. I only go during the hours when nobody's around," Howl replied smoothly.

"I was around."

Howl rested his chin in his hand, casually twirling his finger over the rim of his glass. "You sure are a stubborn mouse."

"You sure are an arrogant wizard," Sophie shot back.

Howl smiled at her beneath his bangs. "Touché."

The waiter returned with a giant tray piled with plates of extravagant-looking foods. Carefully, he placed one in front of Sophie and then another in front of Howl. Howl thanked him again and the waiter bowed and walked off to a different table. Sophie stared, mouth watering, at the cooked fish in front of her. The delicious aroma that hit her nostrils made her realize just how hungry she was. She loved fish, but could never scrape together the money to buy one for a decent meal. It had been years since she last had a taste of one. Sophie picked up her fork and took a tentative bite. It tasted like heaven on her tongue. She let out a moan of pleasure.

"Mmm… This is amazing! It's been years since I've had fish of any kind," she pointed her fork at Howl, "I should have you decide my dinners every night, Howl."

"Glad you're enjoying it," Howl replied, taking a bite of his own.

They ate their meals in contentment, occasionally exchanging a few words about the city or some other vaguely interesting topic. In one instance, Sophie brought up the hunkering, clunking, walking contraption she and many other citizens of Market Chipping had seen at some point or other. She had heard that the mysterious building on legs belonged to the infamous Wizard Howl, eater of hearts, and, seeing as there was a Wizard Howl sitting directly in front of her, Sophie was naturally curious. This change in discussion thus resulted in her asking him if it was his.

Howl stared at her for a moment, a blank expression on his face. Then he answered, "Ah... well…yes. That would be my castle."

Sophie's eyebrows shot up. "You actually live in that thing?"

Howl stared at her some more, a hint of irritation creeping into his glass-like eyes. "Yes," was all he answered, and he said no more on the subject.

Sophie watched him out of the corner of her eye as she ate. He was acting nonchalant, but Sophie knew he was just hiding his true feelings. He was nervous about something, that much she could tell. Martha used to act the same way. But of what he was nervous about, she did not know. She decided to leave it and maybe he'd give her more insight on his own time.

Not much else was said for the rest of their meal. When they finished, Howl laid some coins on the table and stood to pull Sophie's chair out. He offered his hand which she took and led her out the front doors. The verandah wasn't nearly as crowded anymore. Howl slid his arm through Sophie's and tugged her with him down the sidewalk. They walked quietly, and Sophie was so tired she didn't even notice her head tilting sideways and coming to a rest on his shoulder. Howl smiled to himself and squeezed her arm a little tighter.

Various feelings were flitting through him at that moment, confusing him to no end. He had the strangest want to just stay like this forever, Sophie's head on his shoulder and their arms intertwined. He didn't know why, or how for that matter, but he swore he felt a slight twinge in his chest. A feeling he hadn't felt in many years.

Howl almost felt his heart fluttering. Almost.

The wizard was so deep in his thoughts he almost didn't notice the pendent around his neck start to glow. Its twin, currently around Sophie's neck, did the same, shining like a bright blue beacon in the dim light. They issued a soft humming sound, a noise Howl knew all too well; they were being followed.

Sophie furrowed her brow when she heard the hum. She didn't, however, notice the glowing.

"What's that noise?" she asked warily.

Howl looked around them, still leading Sophie down the street. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he mumbled a curse under his breath.

"We're being followed. Just act normal," he replied in a low voice.

Sophie immediately tensed up, eyes widening in fright. "Followed?" Her voice was timid as she lifted her head from his shoulder and nervously glanced behind them.

"Shhh. This way." Howl abruptly took a sharp turn down an almost pitch black alley. Fortunately, the pendants' glow cast just enough light to see in the darkness. Sophie gasped when she heard a weird gurgling noise behind her. Suddenly, something flew at them from the blackness. Howl ducked just in time, bring Sophie with him as he jerked to the pavement. Sophie squealed, clutching his arm tight enough to make him wince slightly. But he didn't care, all that mattered was getting her out of here.

Sophie turned to see what had attacked them. She shrunk next to Howl at the sight that greeted her- a great swelling blob of goo the color of pitch towered over them, it's dripping face just visible in the pendants' faint light. She froze as the goop monster reached for her, its long slimy arms inching closer and closer. Sophie could hear the blood roaring in her ears and the pounding of her racing heart as she waited to be swallowed in the disgusting slime.

Howl turned around and flung himself in front of Sophie just as the monster's sloppy fingers touched her dress. With the wave of a hand, the blob was sucked backwards and out into the moonlit street where it disappeared completely. The glowing of the pendants faded and the humming ceased. The two were enveloped in darkness as the light went out. Sophie's eyes were still wide with fright and her fingers were twisted into the back of Howl's coat, knuckles turning white from her unrelenting grip. Her breath came in short uneven gasps.

Howl turned his head to look at her. Her terrified eyes stared off at the spot in the street where the monster disappeared. She was trembling from head to toe and her hands were locked in a death grip on his jacket. The poor girl was shocked out of her skin, Howl sympathized. He turned fully and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. Sophie released his coat, only to clutch the front of his white shirt, still breathing rapidly. She buried her face in his chest in an attempt to slow her racing heart. Howl held her patiently.

When at last her quick gasps subsided to shaky breaths, Howl leaned down to murmur in her ear, "We need to leave. There's no telling how long until that thing comes back."

Sophie nodded into his shirt and allowed him to pull her up off the dusty cobblestones. Her legs were stiff from sitting on the hard pavement and they were still trembling. Howl rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I think so…" she answered quietly.

Howl nodded. "Good. Hang on now." His arm slipped around her waist and held her securely. He pulled her to his side and grabbed her hand in his. Sophie hadn't even a moment to register this because next thing she knew, they were propelling upwards toward the dark starry sky. She squeaked in astonishment as they slowed and tightened her grip on Howl's hand.

"Now straighten your legs and start walking," came Howl's gentle murmur in her ear. She obeyed, shakily stretching out her legs and taking tentative steps through the air. Howl released his arm from around her waist and grabbed her free hand instead. They strode through the sky, Howl complementing her on the good job she was doing, Sophie smiling and blushing in return, and looking down at the lit city below them.

They neared a small building, a silhouette in the moon's dim rays, and Howl lowered them to a small balcony jutting out from it. Sophie realized with a jolt that this was her apartment. _How does he know I live here?_

Howl landed on the railing and set Sophie on the floor. He smiled dashingly down at her.

"We should do this again sometime."

Sophie, ignoring his comment, stared back up at him, confusion written all over her face. "How did you know this was my apartment?"

Howl straightened slightly, the moon bathing him in a soft light and making his flaxen hair shine white.

"I had seen you here at some point or other," he replied simply. Sophie nodded and managed a shy smile.

"Thank you for the nice evening. And for saving me…" she murmured. Howl smiled and gave a short bow.

"It was my pleasure."

The two stood in silence after that, considering their mixed feelings. Howl cleared his throat after a few moments. "Well… I guess I'll see you soon."

"I would hope so."

Howl nodded and flashed her a wide grin as he inched backwards on the railing. "Goodnight Sophie." And with a flourish of his checkered coat sleeves, he was gone.

Sophie smiled at the spot where he had been standing just mere seconds ago. Then, remembering something, she glanced down at her dress. It had morphed back to its original shabbiness, obviously from the absence of Howl's magical ability. Only the sapphire pendant remained. She fingered it thoughtfully, watching the beams of moonlight dance over the gem's shining surface. With a last look at the night sky, Sophie retreated to her room where she promptly fell onto her bed without so much as removing her boots first. She had one last coherent thought before sleep claimed her: _My life just became a great deal more exciting._

**AN: So. Whaddya think? Send reviews!**

**A few notes: **

**I've noticed lately with this story that Howl is leaning more towards book personality. I hope nobody has a problem with this, because personally I think his book personality is better. Its more... colorful. Blame this on too much book-verse fanfiction.**

**About the electricity thing: I wasn't sure if they had electricity in Ingary. The book was clear on that, Diana's Ingary did not have electricity. But the movie was not, and I'm following the movie so..lets just say the expensive places have it. I mean, they had cars and planes and stuff so you would think there would be electricity. (sorry I just rambled about such a small little sentence)**

**Whoops! Not much Phoenix in this chapter. He'll show up more though. He's an essential part to my tale. c:**

**Eh, kinda PWP right now. Plot will start to open up sometime in the next few chapters. But for now, enjoy the fluff!**

**I promise, next chapter will not take so long. Mid-June at the latest. **

**I tired now. I go sleep. **

**Thanks for all the reviews! You guys rock! 8D**

**(P.S.: Who else thinks Hunger Games rocked? Cause I sure think they did! Oooooh, and that Korra! Gotta love her and Mako! Bolins hilarious.**

**Ok I go night now. For real. XP)**


	5. Weekend Contemplations

**A/N: Hello again friends! It is high-time I update, right? **

**The main reason for this not coming sooner: complete and utter laziness. I apologize. The next chapter will not take nearly as long. _ **

**So anyway, this chapter was actually much much _much _longer. But, because it was so long, and I wanted this up sooner, and because most of my other chapters are ridiculously long, I cut it in half. Because this got cut in half, there will be no character interaction. Which basically means just Sophie and just Howl. Half this chapter is Sophie's thoughts, the other half is Howl's thoughts. The next chapter will be way more exciting. Im pretty much saying this chapter will be boring. Sorry. The next chappie will be out in maybe a week or two. Its pretty long. ;] **

**Okay enough talkie talkie. On with the reading.**

**Disclaimer: Don't look at me, I don't own anything. **

**EDIT: I just realized that I mistaked in the last chapter.. I accidently gave it the name of this chapter and the upcoming chapter. It's fixed now. Sorry to all who payed enough attention to that and got confused. The title didn't match up at all with the chapter. Hahaha... *headdesk***

Chapter 5: Weekend Contemplations

Once again, Sophie didn't do much that weekend. She was content to just lie on her bed and mentally review her interesting week. She thought about work. She thought about Phoenix. She thought about Howl. _Especially_ Howl.

He seemed to be taking over her thoughts as of late. Not that Sophie minded. She actually quite enjoyed thinking about him. When she realized this however, she had the severe urge to kick herself. Why she enjoyed these thoughts was beyond her.

Her mind drifted back to their evening yesterday. She remembered Howl's smiling, beautiful face as they conversed, his low melodious chuckle, the guarded expression as she asked about his castle…

Sophie's mouth twisted into a frown. He was keeping something from her. Of course, there was probably a lot she didn't know about him. But he was so open about everything else she questioned him over. So what was wrong with talking about his castle? Sophie pondered this. She was only curious, after all. Was there some dark, evil secret hidden behind those oddly structured walls?

Sophie recalled the Market Chipping gossip that usually revolved around the Horrible Wizard Howl. Rumor was Howl would eat the hearts of young, pretty women. He would take them back to his moving castle and they were never to be seen again. Sophie had rolled her eyes at this outrageous rumor. It was such typical gossip for her hometown. But now she actually considered this possibility. Was he planning to spirit her away to his horrid castle where she would come to her fate? Did he want _her _heart?

Sophie shook her head. Howl had already assured her that the rumors were just that, rumors. And he was being honest- of that Sophie was certain. So what could he be hiding?

She sighed and decided to push these questions to the back of her mind. Instead, Sophie focused on their walk back. Some large goop monster had attacked them. What was that all about? What did that…_ thing_ want with them? It had almost killed her. What did it want with _her_?

Then Sophie remembered Howl jumping in front of her. She had watched, terror-stricken, as he forced the monster away. He then had turned to her, eyes filled with concern, and embraced her. Sophie's heart beat a little faster as she recalled the feeling of being in his arms. She had felt so safe and secure, like nothing else in the world mattered. She longed for that feeling again. Howl had been genuinely worried for her. He saved her- _he cared about her. _A rush of warmth filled Sophie's being and she smiled. _He cared. _

That's when it hit her just how much she wanted to see him again, to be near him. She didn't realize until now how lonely she was, living by herself in her drab apartment and working alone during the week. But of course, this was to be expected. She was the eldest of three, doomed to a life of loneliness.

Sophie's smile fell. It had never occurred to her how horrible a life that would be. She didn't want to be alone. She wanted to marry and have a family. She wanted to share her happiness with someone, someone who would love her for who she was, be there for her in times of need, share her troubles. Someone like-

Sophie's thought process came to a screeching halt. She groaned and rubbed her face. _ I need to stop thinking like this! I'm only grateful to him because he saved my life._

Sophie turned on her side and stared out the window in frustration. The sky was a purplish red and stars began to show. How long had she been lying here? She glanced at the clock on her wall. 8:30.

"Might as well get ready for bed," she murmured as she sat up. She stood from the bed and quickly changed into her nightshirt. She pulled the ribbon from her braid, freeing her long brown hair to tumble over her shoulders and down her back. Sophie then climbed back into the bed and slid under the covers. She turned over, facing the window again. As her eyes drifted shut, she thought about her hat shop back in Market Chipping. Was Honey managing it okay? Would she ever see it again? _Would Honey sell it?_ Sophie pondered these questions as she fell into the realm of sleep. She did not notice the two dark figures shoot through the starry sky in the distance.

* * *

><p>Howl gazed at the small apartment building in the middle of the royal city. He had the strongest temptation to fly over to it and surprise his Sophie out of her slumber. He had no idea why, other than wanting to see her.<p>

Wait… _his_ Sophie?

Howl ruffled his feathers in irritation. Why on earth did he think of her as his? Why was he so attracted to her? He was well aware of the sensations he experienced while around her. They confused him. _She _confused him.

Howl scowled. There was enough on his plate as it was, what with the Witch of the Waste chasing him and the King out to enslave him for his own royal purposes. Now he found himself ridiculously attracted to this simple, grey mouse whom he had met in a stable. A _stable _of places. So why does she cause these pestering fluttery feelings to arise in his chest, a chest that has been void of a heart for so many years? Everything about her made him want to run to her and enfold her in his arms…

_Damn her._

A sharp whinny knocked the distracted wizard out of his thoughts. Howl blinked his eyes- and found himself moments from colliding into a grove of trees. He threw his wings back sharply to slow down and swerved up just as his talons scraped the topmost leaves of a large oak. He flew back up and fell in stride with Phoenix.

"Hell's teeth! That was close," Howl muttered. Phoenix glanced over at him, amusement glittering in his smart, dark eyes.

Howl gave him a sideways glare. "Don't give me that look, my friend, or it will be you who crashes into a tree."

Phoenix snorted and returned his gaze to the invisible path ahead of them.

Howl looked back at the apartment building that was steadily disappearing behind them. A wave of longing swept over him and he sighed. _Some other night. _Curving his glossy black wings, he shot upwards and turned back into the city. Phoenix disappointedly followed.

Together they headed back to the royal stable. Quickly and silently, they alighted on the gravel covered ground outside the barn. Phoenix folded in his wings, hiding them beneath the camouflage spell. Howl, with some difficulty, morphed back to his human self. Shaking away the dizziness that followed, he lead Phoenix into the barn and back to his stall. With a pat on the neck, he bid the Pegasus goodnight and slipped out of the stable. He walked the few blocks back to his disguised castle, not having the energy to fly. Howl reached the door, feeling very much like he needed a hot bath.

His mind was whirling with thoughts of Sophie as he stepped inside the castle and silently ascended the small flight of stairs into the living room. Howl tried to shake them away, but found he could not. He mumbled an almost incoherent 'night' to a sleepy-eyed Calcifer and stumbled tiredly up the stairs. Instead of preparing for a much needed bath, he went straight to his room and dropped on the bed without so much as taking his boots off. He fell asleep instantly.

Howl's dreams were plagued with images of Sophie and her deep hazel eyes and glowing smile.

**A/N: Shut up, I know the ending was corny. But I'm full of corn! Ahem.. **

**Since the reviews for this story are building, I shall start replying to them. Yay! c:**

**From last chapter:**

**Michie .A: Here you go! And thanks for the comment back in chapter 2. It warms my heart. 3**

**Air1997: Thank you lots!**

**LeeshyLoo: Thanks! I'm very glad you liked it. :) The Hunger Games is very epic, although my interest in it has faded over time.. The book is much better. o3o**

**And thank you all for the reviews on previous chapters! I look forward to seeing more.8D**

**~SillyLeaf**


	6. In Which a First Kiss Is Stolen-Almost

**A/N: Hey again readers! Heres chapter 6! Didn't take as long this time, but still took more time then it should have. **

**A few things about this chappie: **

**Sophie may seem a bit OOC, but it was the only way to make this work the way I wanted. Also, sorry to the huge movie fanatics, but I've decided to turn this story more in the direction of the book. Over the months I've found myself liking the book more than the movie, until I decided that the book is ten times better and I love Book Howl and Sophie so much more than their movie counterparts. So yeah. The change will be more noticable in upcoming chapters. Like, chapters that are so far away that I havent even planned them out yet. I guess the book details will just kinda grow as I go... ha, that rhymed. Ahem.. anyway..**

**Schools kinda weighing me down atm, but Thanksgiving break and Christmas break are coming up so I'll try to get another chapter posted. Or two (as if). But all you book fans can look forward to a christmas oneshot coming sometime around Christmas. **

**Great thanks to all my reviewers and thank you all my lovely followers for staying with me! Those who are still with me since a year ago, I love you! *throws cookies* Wow! Its been a year since I started this story. And this is only chapter 6. (bows head in shame) Ill try my hardest to fix that. **

**On with the story!**

Chapter 6: In Which A First Kiss Is Stolen... Almost

Sophie practically skipped to work on Monday. She would never admit it, but she was actually looking forward to seeing Howl and his dazzling grin again.

So it was safe to say she was fairly disappointed when he wasn't there. Instead, a moderately large number of elegantly dressed nobles were milling about and chatting in small groups. This thoroughly confused Sophie. Since when did crowds of important people come to the stables? Occasionally a few would come in to collect their horses and move on, but never this many.

Sophie walked slowly up the aisle towards the mass of fancy people. Upon further inspection, she found that Phoenix was also absent. This dampened her spirits further.

"Sophie!"

Sophie turned at the sound of her name being called. Lia was jogging up the aisle to her. "Lia!"

Lia halted in front of her, brushing black strands of hair from her eyes. She whistled at the sight of the crowd.

"Wow, sure is busy today!" Lia commented.

"Yeah. What's going on?" Sophie asked.

Lia shrugged. "Some nobles just showing off their 'prancing ponies', I guess." She stared at the crowd with disdain. "We have more people working today. Manager wants the place spic-and-span for their little show and us cleared out before too long," she grumbled.

Sophie hummed and returned her gaze to the busy aisle, eyes searching. Lia leaned around and peered at her face. She followed Sophie's line of sight, eyebrows scrunching together.

"Looking for that wizard, are you?" she scoffed.

Sophie jerked her head away. "No! I… Who?"

Lia rolled her eyes and planted her hands on her hips. "You know who. I swear, that Howl lures in women like fish on a hook!"

"He has not been _luring _me in, Lia," Sophie retorted.

"I beg to differ. You just wait, he'll be gnawing on your heart before long. Then where will you be, Sophie? Just as heartless as him?" Lia eyed her coldly.

Sophie's eyebrows lowered in anger. "How many times do I have to tell you? He's _not_ heartless! Howl's a perfect gentleman. We had a very nice evening on Friday." She grit her teeth.

Lia crossed her arms. "Nice evening, or nice _night?_"

A violent blush spread up Sophie's cheeks and neck right to the tips of her ears. Lia's arms dropped and her eyes bugged out. "Oh my god… You didn't!" she blurted before Sophie could get a word in edgewise. Sophie's fists clenched.

"_No!_" she shrieked. "I can't _believe_ you think I'd stoop that low!" A few heads turned curiously in their direction.

Lia breathed a sigh of relief. "Well I just assumed from the way your face turned all red. And I wouldn't exactly say that's stooping low. He is very attractive, after all," she added thoughtfully.

Sophie tilted her head in frustration. "Goodness Lia! Whose side are you on anyway? Why don't you stop interrogating me and go talk to Joseph?"

Lia perked up, previous subject forgotten. "Joseph? Where?" She looked around excitedly.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Behind you." She gestured down the aisle to a tall, dark haired boy sweeping vigorously. Lia's head swiveled and her mouth turned up in a bright smile. Sophie smirked inwardly. She knew of Lia's infatuation with their slightly older co-worker. Just the mention of his name would make her drop all other topics of discussion.

"Okay," said Lia, trying and failing to hide her obvious joy. She jogged away and called without looking back, "Talk to you later, Sophie!"

"Don't forget to _do your job_!" Sophie called back. Lia shot her a thumbs up to show she heard and continued towards Joseph. When he saw her, his eyes lit up and he called a greeting. Sophie watched wistfully as Joseph placed a playful arm around Lia's shoulders and the couple commenced to talk animatedly about something or another. It was very obvious the two liked each other.

_That could be you, _said a voice in Sophie's head.

_With who? _Sophie shot back sarcastically.

_You know who, _the voice persisted.

_Impossible. I'm the eldest of three._ Sophie shook her head and went to fetch a broom, thinking she might just be going insane. Luckily the voice quieted, leaving Sophie to focus on her work. She swept the second aisle with vigor, intent on being done fast so she could get started on stall cleaning. She was vaguely aware of the crowd moving to the arena and the sound of hooves on concrete as nobles led their horses in for the show. This was a wave of relief for Sophie; she preferred working in quiet surroundings.

Sophie was halfway down the aisle when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She started, almost dropping the broom. For a brief moment, she thought it was Howl, but when she turned around, a waft of air with the distinct stench of liquor hit her. She cringed.

_This is not Howl. He doesn't drink, or at least not like this, I'm sure. _Sophie looked up at the newcomer to find he had dark, gold-tinged eyes. His hair was dark brown and trimmed in a nice ear length cut. Sophie looked down slightly and saw he was wearing a courtly black suit over a slender frame. He seemed like a normal person, except for the beer breath and a smile that made Sophie truly feel like a mouse, caught between the claws of a hungry cat.

"Well now," the man purred, the liquor smell rolling off his tongue and making Sophie sick, "What's a pretty little woman like you doing cleaning a filthy barn?"

Sophie scowled. "It's my job."

The man's eyebrows rose slightly. "You don't say. Not the best one out there, if I may say so myself."

Sophie's hands clenched around the broom handle. "I _do _say. It's a perfectly fine job, _sir_, and I'd appreciate if you'd stop insulting me."

"Oh, this mouse has a sharp tongue! We ought to fix that." The man leaned closer; his breath was making Sophie dizzy now.

With all the courage she could muster, Sophie lifted her chin and spoke evenly, "I think we ought _not _to be fixing _anything._ Now, if you please sir, go back to your petty show and let me work in peace. I haven't the time to stand around and talk to drunkards all afternoon." Her voice shook a little but she was overall satisfied with the way the words came out. She mentally congratulated herself.

The man's grip on her shoulder tightened and his smile fell. But it was back again in an instant and even more evil looking. He leaned ever closer.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Sophie scowled and tried to push him away, but the man's hands caught her forearms and held her in place. The forgotten broom fell to the floor with a thud. Fear coursed through Sophie's veins and she struggled. That only made the grip on her arms tighten painfully. She whimpered and stood still.

"That's a good mouse. It's no use fighting. Now how about a peck on these waiting lips of mine?" Sophie's eyes shot open and she glared daggers at the goon's leering face. He didn't mind in the slightest and moved so there were only a mere couple inches of space between their faces. Sophie thrashed around again and tried to kick him. She missed and earned a particularly hard stomp on her toes that brought tears to her eyes.

The man was furious now. "Don't try that again or I'll break those pretty little toes of yours," he snarled.

Sophie tried to yank her arms away, but a bolt of searing pain shot up her arms and into her shoulders. Tears escaped her closed eyelids and leaked down her cheeks. "Leave me alone!" she cried in vain. _Why can no one hear me?_

"Nah-ah. You're mine now," the man growled, leaning close again. Sophie gave up her struggle and waited, with rapid, fearful breaths, for him to snatch away her first kiss. _I'll always find myself in these awful situations,_ she thought miserably. _It comes with being the eldest of three. _

The man's lips were awfully close now; his putrid breath was enough to knock her out. Unfortunately, it didn't. Sophie breathed hard. His disgusting lips were so close…

"I believe the woman asked you to leave her be."

Sophie's chestnut eyes snapped open and she jerked her head towards the new voice. A fresh round of tears welled in her eyes, happy ones this time. It was Howl.

His blue eyes were narrowed to fierce slits and his mouth was set in an angry line. Locks of blonde hair fell over his perfect, angular face. He looked ready to kill.

Sophie's captor looked up in annoyance. "Go away, pretty boy. This is none of your business."

Howl took a step forward, eyes burning with fury. "Oh, but I think it is," he said in a calm yet menacing voice.

The pressure on Sophie's arms got tighter, if even possible. She cried out desperately.

"Howl! Help!"

Howl's eyes seem to ignite at her plea. He stepped closer and closer until he was beside Sophie. He put an arm around her shoulders and loomed over the black suited man, eyes dangerous.

For a moment, the man looked nervous. But he shook it off and sized up the wizard. "Get lost. This mouse is mine," he hissed.

"I think not. If I were you, I'd be running," Howl replied evenly.

The man stuck his face in Howl's. "Oh really? What're you gonna do, pretty boy?" he sneered.

Howl lifted a fisted hand and slowly unfurled it. Simultaneously, the grip on Sophie's arms loosened until the man was no longer holding her. She immediately flung her aching arms around Howl's side and stared at the bewildered stranger with a mixture of panic and relief.

The man stared down at his hands, confused. "'The hell? What's going on here?"

Howl twirled his pointer finger and the man spun around with a surprised yelp. He then proceeded to march of towards the back door.

"What is this?!" he cried. Then, with a sudden jerk of Howl's hand, he crashed into the door. Howl released his hold and, with a hand to his bruised forehead, the man flung open the door and ran out. The door slammed loudly behind him.

"You won't be seeing him again," Howl smirked. Sophie looked up at him, eyes rimmed red, cheeks flushed. She buried her face in his shirt.

"Thank you…" she murmured into the fabric. Howl wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on hers.

"It's okay. You're safe now."

_This feeling… It's so new..._

Sophie's sniffles died away and she gradually relaxed. _This could be forever, _the voice started up again in the back of her mind. Sophie didn't respond, but she considered the words. _Could it? _The thought warmed her from head to toe and sent her heart racing. She then had another thought- _Does he feel this way too? _Suddenly embarrassed, Sophie shuffled her feet and leaned away. She didn't even notice his head on hers until he pulled it up to smile down at her. Sophie returned it and took another small step back to look at him directly- only to trip on the forgotten broom and plummet to the floor with a cry of surprise. Right before her backside came in contact with the hard concrete floor however, Howl's hands caught her forearms and held her in place. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled her to her feet.

"What luck you have, Sophie. Always getting yourself into scrapes," Howl grinned.

Sophie shrugged. "It's part of being the eldest. You get all sorts of bad luck."

"It's not all bad. You met me," he replied cheerfully.

Sophie snorted. "That's the worst kind of luck I could get!" She was smiling despite herself.

Howl's hand flew to his chest and his expression was one of mock hurt. "You wound me, Sophie dear."

Sophie rolled her eyes and moved away to pick up the broom. When she straightened, Howl was staring over her head with a faraway look and a crooked smile. She raised an eyebrow. "Howl?"

The wizard blinked and dropped his gaze to meet hers. "Yes?"

"You were just…staring."

Howl's eyebrows rose. "I was thinking."

Sophie leaned on the broom. "Oh. About what?"

"Uh… nothing important…" He looked away. Sophie stared. Was that a hint of red in his cheeks?

Howl coughed and looked to the ceiling. "Well… I guess I should let you get back to work," he murmured.

Sophie frowned in disappointment. Seeing he wasn't going to elaborate any further on his thoughts, she stood straight and nodded. They stood awkwardly for a moment, than Sophie spoke .

"Thanks for the help earlier," she said quietly, shyly.

Howl's eyes turned to her again, shining with an inner warmth. "Of course," he smiled.

Sophie smiled back. "Well, good-bye." And she walked away to finish her sweeping. Rather, she would have, if a certain hand hadn't grabbed her arms and spun her around again. Sophie faced Howl, brows knitted in confusion. "Howl, what-"

"Sophie, I would like for you to come out with me again tonight," Howl blurted.

Sophie blinked. A wave of excitement washed over her. "Sure Howl, but I have work in the morning," She replied, not really giving a wit about work.

Howl's face lit up. "We won't be out too late, I promise," he answered breathlessly. Sophie grinned.

"Okay."

Howl, looking utterly relieved, smiled dazzlingly and released her arm. "I'll come for you at dusk. Wait for me on your balcony."

Sophie was somewhat confused as to why she should wait on the balcony, but nodded all the same. Howl gave her a quick nod back.

"Alright, I'll see you tonight, then." Howl smiled at her one last time and walked off in the direction of the arena. _Going to watch the show, _Sophie supposed. For a moment, she wished she could go with him. But then she reminded herself that she had a job to do and would see him later. With renewed vigor, she swept the aisle and moved over to the next to clean stalls.

She started with Phoenix's, giving him a good pat on the neck as she went in, and moved on quickly and efficiently from there. Unfortunately, she had no one to talk to since Lia was too preoccupied with Joseph and her other co-workers were too much of strangers. So she settled with murmuring to herself and occasionally grumbling to the stalls that they should smell better, which, to her surprise, they would.

Eventually everything was done and clean, and Sophie signed out, grabbing her hat as she went out the door. She headed home to clean up and get ready for her outing with the notorious wizard that had quickly become her friend. Curiosity and excitement gnawed at her the whole time she readied herself. She couldn't wait to see what was in store for her tonight.

Even more so, she couldn't wait to see Howl.

**Annnnnnnnnnddddd stop.**

**HA! Did I fool you all or what with that title? No SophieHowl fluff yet! ;]**

**So yeah, did anyone seem OOC? I know Sophie is kinda being a cry baby, but I wanted a reason for Howl to comfort her and be fluffy. And if anyones wondering why no one seems to hear Sophie when shes crying out... Well I was thinking all the other workers are just busy or currently away or something. Or maybe Sophie wasnt actually crying out as loud as she thought.. lol. Just make a da world go round...**

**Well thank you again to all my reviewers! Stick around for Howl and Sophies next date in chapter 7!**

**Hasta la vista, amigos! (I actually know how to spell that now, Thanks la clase de el espanol!)**

**EDIT: this chapter just went under some major revision. I read it over and realized a paragraph and a half was missing! What the Hell! But anyways, lots of other typos and such so I fixed those. I really need to start revising before posting... **

**Just revised this on my iPod. Not fun. Pain in the ass. Yeah. **


	7. Soaring Beneath the Stars

**A/N: Hello again readers. This took a while, I know, but I'm going to get right on typing up the next chapter. I think I have the next ten chapters vaguely laid out, so this story should start picking up and Ill start posting faster. Sorry about the wait. Hope you're all still with me. :) **

**So things heat up a bit this chapter. The plot starts to show, but im still not quite sure where to go with it. Hopefully in the coming weeks my vivid imagination will conjure up a wonderful idea for a plot. Anyway, enjoy, and see you at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Howl's Moving Castle. The end. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 7: Soaring Beneath the Stars<span>

At around 8:30, Sophie found herself standing on the balcony's edge, arms resting on the railing as she watched the sun set. The sky was a brilliant array of purples, pinks, reds, and oranges. There were no clouds to speak of. A gentle breeze stirred the strands of hair that strayed away from her braid. It was a beautiful evening.

By 9:00, Sophie had settled herself into a chair on the balcony and was watching the stars slowly come out. She smiled at their faint glow.

9:15, and Sophie was tapping her foot quite impatiently, arms crossed over her chest. "Where is he?" she muttered.

Moments later, Sophie heard a _whoosh_ sound and was blasted by a gust of wind. She instinctively covered her face with an arm. She removed it, however, when a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Hello Sophie."

Sophie looked up at the newcomer, gasping in pleasant surprise when she saw it was none other than Howl. Her surprise was driven even further when she noticed the winged horse the color of night he was sitting atop. He smiled brilliantly down at her, perfect teeth glinting in the moonlight.

Sophie stared back up at him, bewildered. "Howl?"

Howl patted Phoenix's neck and jumped off the horse's back, landing gracefully on the balcony. He paused to smooth out his blouse and adjust his checkered coat, then strode up to Sophie, whose mouth was wide open. He gently tapped her cheek.

"Close your mouth, Sophie. You'll catch flies," he chuckled. Sophie reddened and snapped her mouth shut. Howl grinned. "That's better."

Sophie blinked, then flicked her gaze to Phoenix, who was now standing on the balcony with them and swishing his tail. Her eyebrows rose.

"Why on earth did you bring _him_?" she exclaimed.

Howl's eyes glinted mischievously. "He's our ride this evening."

"R-ride?"

Howl nodded and offered his hand. Sophie hesitated, then took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet. They stepped up to Phoenix and Sophie smiled when the Pegasus nuzzled her shoulder. She rubbed his nose affectionately.

"Hey buddy." Phoenix bobbed his head and whickered a greeting, eliciting a small giggle from Sophie.

Howl sidled up next to her. "He's very fond of you, you know," he said with a smile.

Sophie shrugged. "I suppose."

Howl looked up at the night sky and gave a low hum. "Well Sophie, shall we head out?"

"Uhm… Okay…" She answered, watching him with curiosity as he moved around her. She gasped quite audibly when suddenly his arms were around her waist.

"Up we go," he mumbled as he hoisted her up onto Phoenix's bare back. A moment later he was sitting in front of her. _Right _in front of her. Sophie started to sweat nervously from their close proximity. Howl swiveled his head towards her and gave her a sunny smile. "Have you ever ridden a horse before?"

Sophie shook her head and forced out a stuttered "No."

Howl looked very pleased with this response. "It's easy, really. Just hold on tight," he cautioned.

Sophie inspected the area around her, seeing nothing that could be used for 'holding on tight'. She scowled. "Hold on to what, exactly?" she retorted.

Without answering her question, Howl said "You may want to duck."

"Wha—AAAHHHHH!" She was cut off as Howl clucked sharply and Phoenix surged off the balcony. She just barely had time to duck out of the roof's way. Having nothing else to grab, she threw her arms around Howl, who grinned in satisfaction. Sophie then proceeded to scream as Phoenix rocketed upwards, beating his long feathered wings furiously. She tightened her hold around Howl's waist and buried her face in the back of his coat as the wind whipped around them.

After a few heart-racing moments, Sophie felt the wind die down and heard the world go silent around them except for the gentle, rhythmic stroke of Phoenix's wings. She felt her hand being squeezed.

"Open your eyes, Sophie," came Howl's voice, unusually loud in the night. Slowly, she lifted her head and obeyed. She gasped, eyes wide in awe.

They were gliding smoothly above the cloud bank, directly beneath the stars it seemed. The moon shone against the clouds, turning them a glowing blue. There was no breeze, no sound, just the night sky's enchanting beauty.

Sophie's lips turned up in a delighted smile as she watched the moonlit world around her. She laughed with glee when a shooting star raced by above them. Howl followed her gaze, grinning.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"Howl it's amazing!" Sophie breathed.

The wizard chuckled fondly. "I thought you would like it."

Phoenix ever so slightly tipped his wing and veered downward. They dropped into the cloud bank and came out directly above the brightly lit capitol. Sophie stretched a hand up to skim the underside of a cloud. She knew there wouldn't be anything to feel, but the way the cloud swirled away behind her hand amused her. She laughed again in delight.

"Sophie, look down there." Sophie followed Howl's gaze to the far away city beneath them. They had passed over Kingsbury and were now flying over a lake that sparkled in the moon's rays. Soon the lake had passed too, and beyond it lay open hills. Sophie smiled. It was breathtaking.

As she watched the world drift by, she didn't notice Phoenix's agitated whicker. Howl did though. He noticed how the Pegasus's ears swiveled back and forth, listening to something only his hearing could pick up on. He noticed the urgent flaring of his nostrils and the slight tension in his wings. It was obvious. Phoenix was spooked.

Howl's eyes widened, but he remained calm. He patted Phoenix's thick neck soothingly. "Shhh there. You're alright," he murmured in the animal's ear. He glanced around nervously, seeking the source of Phoenix's fright. The sky was empty and quiet, clear of any other beings beside them. _What's scaring him? _Howl wondered. The Pegasus was usually tough as a rock and would stand up to anything in his path. Hardly anything ever scared the rambunctious stallion. So what was making him so edgy?

Sophie, who had been oblivious to their quick exchange, suddenly looked up. She felt the unmistakable tightening of muscles beneath her as Phoenix's whole body went rigid. She heard the steady beating of his wings come to a halt. Something was up.

"Howl?" There was a nervous edge to her voice and a worried glint in her eyes. Howl turned to her, his own worry evident in his eyes. He tried to keep his voice composed as he spoke for Sophie's sake.

"Something's bothering Phoenix." At Sophie's fearful expression, he hastily added, "Don't worry. If either of us believed there was danger, we would bring you to safety." He tried smiling reassuringly.

Sophie relaxed a little, but could not shake off the nagging feeling that he wasn't telling her everything. She tightened her arms instinctively around Howl.

Phoenix twitched his ears, the only warning he gave before bomb-diving towards the hills below. Sophie screamed, burying her face in Howl's shoulder. Howl cursed.

"Phoenix!" he cried, "What in the seven dimensions of Hell are you _doing?!_"

Phoenix replied by folding in his wings, causing them to approach the ground twice as fast. Howl wildly searched the landscape, desperately trying to find the thing –or person—that was scaring his horse. A moving black dot in the distance ahead of them caught his eye. He swore again and yanked on Phoenix's mane, but the Pegasus didn't stop. Behind him, Sophie whimpered.

"Make him stop!" she pleaded into his shoulder. Howl, determined to keep her from harm, tried to put up a magic barrier to slow the rampant Pegasus. Unfortunately, Phoenix broke right through it with his own magic. Howl growled in frustration as the tall grass loomed up before them. Losing all faith in his companion, Howl grabbed Sophie around the waist and prepared to jump. Seconds before they would have slammed into the ground, however, Phoenix unfurled his wings, using them as a parachute to drift the remaining distance to the ground. Howl breathed a huge sigh of relief when Phoenix's hooves settled into the grass. He ran a hand over his sweaty forehead and gently unwrapped Sophie's arms from around his middle. He slid off the Pegasus's back and offered a hand to Sophie, who took it gratefully and jumped off. She stumbled on shaky legs; Howl held her shoulders to steady her. She stood trembling from their hectic experience.

Howl gazed at her sympathetically. "Are you alright?"

Sophie inhaled deeply and nodded. "I think so."

"Good." Howl turned his attention to the distant hills, eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'll be right back. Phoenix will keep you safe," he said ominously.

Sophie murmured an "Okay" and watched him walk off, disappearing over a hill. _Probably looking for whatever caused Phoenix to act the way he did, _she thought. Next to her, said horse stamped his hoof and tossed his head, eyes anxious. Sophie gave him a comforting pat on the neck. "Don't worry. Howl will take care of it," she murmured, more to herself than to Phoenix. She watched the hills intently, anxiously awaiting his return.

As soon as Howl knew he was out of sight, he teleported himself to the castle's front step and banged the door open; it slammed into the wall with a resounding thud. He stormed up the steps and over to the hearth. He loomed threateningly over a nervous Calcifer.

"Howl, thank God you're here—" the fire demon started.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Did you think it would be funny to have Phoenix kill us?!" the wizard spat.

Calcifer flickered, glaring at him indignantly. "I saved your sorry butts by calling him down!" he hissed.

"What on earth did we need saving from?" Howl retorted.

Calcifer flared up, his flames licking the chimney. Howl jumped backwards to avoid any nasty burns. "_The witch!_" the demon roared.

Howl's eyes widened in dismay. "The witch was following us?" he muttered, all previous anger gone from his voice. Calcifer bobbed in what looked like a nod. Howl closed his eyes and fell back onto the fireside chair with a defeated sigh. "She chased us last time too," he muttered. More angrily, he added, "Why can't she just leave me alone?"

"She wants the girl this time," Calcifer replied gravely.

Howl glanced up warily. "Who, Sophie? But why?"

Calcifer rolled his eyes. "Well _I don't know_. Maybe because she's jealous of the poor girl since you decided to pursue her?" he shot back sarcastically.

Howl stared at the demon blankly. "O-kay… But I still don't see why she would want Sophie…"

Calcifer roared up, growling in frustration. "You ignorant idiot! Can't you see? She wants Sophie dead!"

Howl jumped at this, a wave of unease and protectiveness surging through him. "Dead?" he croaked. Calcifer nodded, surprised at this change in his companion's usually nonchalant demeanor. Howl looked towards the open door, eyes glinting with worry. "She's still out there…"

Calcifer popped in surprise. "You left her out there alone?" he said, voice disbelieving. Howl nodded slowly, then jolted as if he was kicked in the stomach. _Sophie is out there alone. She could be in serious danger. She could already be..._ He inhaled sharply. Calcifer leaned out of the grate. "Then go get her!" he hissed.

Howl sprang for the door, midnight black wings sprouting from his back and ripping through his shirt, (somewhere in the back of his mind, he was thankful that his nice coat had fallen off and was currently draped over the back of the chair he had just vacated) and leaped outside. The door slammed shut in his wake as he took off in the direction that he had left his dear Sophie.

Sophie rubbed Phoenix's neck in an attempt to calm him down. The Pegasus was stamping his feet and making loud sounds of discontentment. Sophie's brow wrinkled apprehensively. "Hush Phoenix. Everything's all right," she cooed. She looked up at the night sky, muscles aching with tension. "Oh Howl, where are you?" she whispered.

Phoenix quite suddenly swung his head around, just missing whacking into Sophie but thoroughly startling her. His gaze was fixed on something behind them and his ears angled forward. Sophie turned to look as well, and saw nothing but dark hills and the distant mountains of the Wastes. She tilted her head in confusion. Once again startling Sophie, Phoenix swung his head at her with a loud whinny, knocking her into his flank. He fell to his knees and flicked his ears urgently. Sophie stared at him confused for a moment, before she understood his silent demand and climbed onto his back. Phoenix heaved himself to his feet, and with a determined gleam in his eyes, raced off in the direction Howl disappeared. Sophie squeaked and wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging on for dear life. She was suddenly aware of her sapphire pendent that she continued to wear everyday glowing and vibrating slightly against her skin. This really frightened her, considering the fact that last time it did this a monster had attacked her. But this time, Sophie didn't dare chance a glance behind her.

As they sped on through the open field, Sophie noticed a small white dot approaching from the opposite direction. As it neared, she realized it wasn't a dot at all, but Howl. Relief washed over her as she called out to him. "Howl!"

"Sophie!" he shouted back, coming ever nearer.

Sophie allowed a smile to come forth, but it quickly vanished as he came within proper seeing distance. She squinted. Was he flying? Were those _wings _protruding from his back? She blinked in astonishment.

They were mere yards from each other now. Howl called to her again, voice edged with fear. Right as he flew over them, furiously beating his wings to slow down, Phoenix came skidding to a halt. He grunted and spun to face Howl who was alighting in the grass. Sophie watched, amazed, as his wings shrunk into his shoulders and disappeared altogether. He frantically sprinted up to them and quickly hauled Sophie off Phoenix. He hugged her to him, announcing how relieved he was that she was okay. Sophie was surprised, but remained silent. She simply leaned into him, reveling in the feeling of his arms around her. Unfortunately, it couldn't last. All too soon, he was pushing her away to grab her by the shoulders. "We need to go," he said. "Run as fast as you can and don't let go of my hand." His voice was urgent. Sophie nodded and grasped her hand tightly in his. Together they took off running, Phoenix galloping after them. The winds picked up and swirled around them, and Sophie could've sworn her feet had stopped touching the ground at some point.

After a little bit, she started to wonder just where exactly they were going as they ran up a grassy knoll. There couldn't possibly be anywhere to go (or hide) this far out into the Wastes surely?

She was proved horribly wrong when they crested the hill and an enormous metal contraption lumbered into view dead ahead. Sophie gasped at the long avian-like legs that moved slowly beneath it.

"Calcifer, stop the castle!" Howl cried suddenly as they neared. The giant, hunkering machine—castle—obediently slowed, grinding to a stop as they reached it.

Howl led Sophie around to the back of the so-called castle where a tall, oaken door stood at the top of a small concrete stairway. He hopped up to the first step and pulled Sophie up next to him. He whirled around and threw open the door, ushering Sophie in with a quick wave of his hand. Phoenix flew in after, and he sprang in last, the door slamming behind him. Howl leaned against the door for a moment or two, breathing deeply. Then he gently nudged Sophie up the stairs.

Phoenix was settling himself the best he could in the cramped living room space, laying down on the floor and tucking his forelegs underneath him. He snorted in contempt.

Howl stood behind Sophie at the top step, and turned towards the hearth. "Calcifer, move the castle as far away from here as possible." A small fire popped up in the grate, blinking open a pair of bright, concerned eyes. Sophie inhaled sharply.

"She's getting close," it said anxiously.

Just then, a young russet-haired boy in a nightgown hurried down a staircase at the far end of the room. "What's going on?" he cried nervously.

Sophie's body shook and her breathing sped up as she glanced around the rather filthy room. Her gaze flicked wildly from the talking fire to the boy on the stairs and to the Pegasus resting on the floor. It was too much.

The last thing she heard was Howl calling out worriedly to her before the world went black.

**A/N: Oooooooo, a cliffy! I decided it was time for one. Things are gettin good! **

**The next chapter should be up in a couple weeks at most, We're starting a research paper in English so that will drain me, but I'll try my hardest. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. ;D**

**Review replies:**

**Devil's Puppy Dog: Here it is! Im glad you love my story, it warms my heart. 3 Im sure if you keep trying your hardest, a good story will come together for you and many people will love it. Dont give up!**

**84sazza-robin84: Yes, Sophie will be able to talk life into things. Ive decided to have more of the book perspective in this fic, so of course Sophie needs her magic. That will come up later though. :)**

**whitneysixx: Heres the update! So glad you're liking this so far! And don't worry, Im definitely continuing. ;)**

**Chasing Constellations: Im happy to hear you loving this. Reviews like yours are what keeps me going. **

**MeatAngel: Heres your update! Hope you liked it. :)**

**Keep sending me those reviews guys! I want to hear your feedback! I'll always reply in the coming of the following chapters. :)**

**See you next time!**

**~SillyLeaf**


	8. In Which Sophie Stays Home

**A/N: Oh. My. Gawd. Fastest. Update. EVER. Im like a machine lately! Only one week since the last update! ONE WEEK! I'm so proud of myself. 8D**

**Anyway, this chapter contains much needed fluff, especially towards the end. So hope you all enjoy this, and im terribly sorry for any errors. I'll do my best to correct them, but it is almost 12:30 am and I do have Drivers Ed in the morning so... yeah.. if you notice anything wacky that I missed, a review or even a pm pointing it out would be great! Thanks for all your support so far guys!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I no own HMC... It belong to DWJ... c:**

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><p><span>Chapter 8: In Which Sophie Stays Home<span>

Sunlight streamed in through the window, shining directly on Sophie's eyelids. The bright light swam into her vision and chased away the dark of sleep. She scrunched up her face in annoyance and tried to go back to sleep. But the light only seemed to get brighter and further awaken her. With a tired sigh, Sophie sat up and yawned, stretching her arms high above her head. She glanced at the clock above her doorway, and seeing that it was still early, proceeded to flop back down on the bed. But instead of feeling her soft pillows beneath her head, she felt something rather hard and warm. Her eyes shot open and met a pair of very blue eyes staring back at her. Sophie's breath caught in her throat and she stared, dumbfounded.

Howl smiled his usual sunny smile, eyes full of warmth and amusement. "Good morning to you too."

Sophie, still frozen on what she soon came to realize was Howl's lap, opened her mouth stupidly. Words wouldn't form properly, so she shut it, swallowed, and tried again. It was a bit easier the second time around. "Howl? What are you doing here?" Her voice was weak, but she still managed to be coherent.

"Making sure you don't hurt yourself," Howl replied cheerily.

Momentarily forgetting her shock, Sophie raised an irritated eyebrow and sat up. "In my room at six in the morning?"

"Correct." He continued smiling.

Sophie frowned. "Why are you really here, Howl?" she asked in a low voice, then clutched her head as an awful streak of pain shot through it. She gave a small whine and clenched her teeth. Howl leaned forward from where he was resting against the headboard of the bed and grabbed her shoulders gently, searching her face worriedly.

"Sophie?"

Sophie groaned and lifted her head a little to meet Howl's concerned gaze. "W-what happened to me?" she asked feebly.

"You fainted last night," Howl explained. "Your head hit the floor pretty hard…" He reached a hand up to the back of her head and touched a swollen bruise that was the result of her contact with the floor. Sophie whimpered and ducked away, squeezing her eyes shut in pain.

Howl pushed her gently down onto the pillows. "You need to rest. I'll go make some tea." He moved to get up when Sophie grabbed his elbow. He turned to regard her curiously.

"Wait. Howl, did you… did you stay with me all night?" she whispered.

Howl managed a weak smile. "I had to make sure you were okay."

Sophie was a little surprised, but found herself smiling in return. Howl took her hand and patted it. "I'll be right back."

As he disappeared into the kitchen, her smile fell and she sank her aching head into the pillows. Oh how it _hurt!_

Trying to think of something other than the pain, she tried to remember what happened prior to her fainting the night before. She remembered Phoenix plummeting to the earth at neck-breaking speed, Howl urging her towards his trash heap of a castle, seeing many oddities (including a talking fire?), then falling unconscious.

_Was that all?_ Sophie suddenly felt embarrassed about the whole thing. Howl must really think her a frightened little grey mouse now! She hid her red face in a pillow.

Said wizard came back into the room as she let out a moan of distress. He smiled sympathetically and handed her a steaming mug of tea. "This should help," he murmured, helping her into a sitting position. Sophie blushed once more. She had never felt so helpless in her life!

She took a sip of the tea, reveling in the feel of its warmth spreading throughout her body. Howl sat on the edge of the bed next to her, sipping from his own cup. Feeling some of the pain subside, Sophie absent-mindedly leaned against his shoulder. He smiled and shifted so she was more comfortable. Not really knowing what he was doing—or why, for that matter—Howl slipped an arm around her waist. When she showed no signs of complaint, he tugged her closer and leaned back a little bit to rest against the headboard. They sat together like that for a while, sipping their tea contentedly.

When she had finished her cup, Sophie was surprised to find that only a dull ache remained of her migraine. She was convinced Howl had put some magical pain reliever in the tea.

"Feeling better?" Howl's smooth voice sounded from somewhere above her head. She shivered when his breath tickled her ear.

"Much actually. Did you enchant my tea?" Sophie accused light-heartedly, a smile etched onto her face.

Howl chuckled. "Nope."

"What did you put in it then?"

"Ginger and fresh honey." Howl stared at the wall thoughtfully. "My mother used to put that in my tea all the time when I was sick. Worked wonders."

Sophie hummed, satisfied with his answer. She lazily shifted her gaze to the clock. She bolted straight up when she saw what time it was, nearly clocking Howl in the jaw with her head as she did so. "Oh no! I'm going to be late for work!" she cried in dismay and tried to scramble off the bed. Howl held her back.

"Sophie, calm down! You're not going anywhere today." Sophie stopped struggling and stared at him, flabbergasted.

"Wha…what?"

"I sent in a note saying you were sick and unable to come into work today," Howl answered.

Sophie was shocked for a second. "But… but that's a lie!"

Howl grinned. "Not entirely. You were just complaining of a massive headache," he said matter-of-factly.

"But I'm fine now!" she argued.

"Sophie, do you really think I'd let you go to work after falling unconscious and waking up hours later with a bump the size of an egg on your head?"

Sophie opened her mouth to protest, but realized he was right. She closed her mouth and stared at the bed sheets.

"Now come back here." Howl pulled her back against his chest, eliciting a squeak from the young Hatter. Sophie blushed and tried to control her rapidly thrumming heart. She wasn't sure what to think of his behavior. She would never admit it, but secretly she was enjoying it. She smiled shyly.

"So today, you are going to relax. I will make sure of that," Howl announced meaningfully. Sophie's eyebrows crinkled.

"I don't need a babysitter, Howl," she retorted.

"Nonsense. A workaholic like you does," Howl replied cheerfully. Sophie rolled her eyes and moved to get up. "Where are you going?" he asked. Sophie turned to look at him. Was that a glimmer of hurt in his eyes? _Seriously?_

"To clean up, babysitter." She started for the bathroom, glancing over her shoulder at him. "And no, you're not keeping an eye on me while I change," she added for good measure.

Howl laughed outright and shook his head. "Of course not, Sophie dear."

Sophie smiled and disappeared into the bathroom. She stopped in front of the mirror and stared in disgust at the dirty dress she had fallen asleep in. Stripping down and releasing her brunette hair from its braid, she stepped into the shower. The hot water chased away the remaining ache in her head.

Fifteen minutes later, Sophie stepped from the bathroom, feeling refreshed and clad in a simple blue dress with the sapphire pendent around her neck and her hair tumbling over her shoulders in elegant chocolate waves. She had decided to leave it down for once.

Seeing Howl was no longer in the bedroom, she wandered into the kitchen where the delightful smell of bacon hit her full on. Howl was setting two plates loaded with bacon, eggs, and toast on the table.

He looked up when Sophie walked in and was struck frozen by her simple yet amazing beauty. "Sophie," he breathed, "you're beautiful…"

Sophie reddened and looked away. "Not really."

"I don't know why you won't just accept it," Howl said. "Anyway, I made breakfast." He gestured to the food laden table with a pleased smile.

Sophie smiled back gratefully and seated herself. "Howl, you didn't have to do this."

Howl sat across from her. "Sure I did. It's your day off, and you're going to be waited on whether you like it or not." He winked at her.

Sophie took a bite of her toast. "I guess I can't argue with that."

After breakfast, Howl conjured a chess board and insisted on playing. They spent the next two hours trying to beat each other. Sophie won every time, much to Howl's chagrin, and he unsuccessfully tried to convince her that he let her win. Sophie just smirked and crossed her arms over her chest in triumph.

At lunch, while making the pie, Howl spilled flour all over his front, causing Sophie to giggle uncontrollably. In retaliation, Howl threw a handful of the white powder at her. This resulted in an all-out flour war that ended with the two covered head-to-toe in the ingredient, as well as the rest of the kitchen. Howl used magic to clean the mess up, in which Sophie made a comment that laziness never got anyone anywhere. Howl replied just as easily that using magic was anything but lazy.

After lunch was eaten, Howl enlightened Sophie on all the different kinds of magic and their properties, none of which she fully understood. He then demonstrated some simple parlor tricks that would barely impress a toddler just to make her laugh. Sophie stated that he should get a job as a magician that performed for small children instead of continuing sorcery, to which he replied that his magic stretched far beyond little tricks and he refused to lower himself to that of a simple magician. He finally got a good laugh out of her, making him grin satisfactorily.

They then talked about horses and pegasi, which Sophie (thankfully) was more familiar with. They chatted until their stomachs growled, signaling the coming of dinner time.

Howl made pasta and soup for dinner. Sophie called him a culinary genius, inflating his already huge ego. They talked about fancy foods and restaurants.

Later, Sophie found a deck of cards and they played different games until sun-down, laughing at each other's jokes and stories.

Eventually, they found themselves on the couch, simply enjoying each other's company. Sophie was leaning comfortably against Howl's shoulder reviewing the day. She realized that she had never had more fun in the course of a day in her whole life. _I should have Howl around more often_, she thought jokingly. But a part of her meant it too. Sophie liked being around this eccentric, big-headed, caring wizard more than she cared to admit.

As she continued to think about recent events, something else crossed her mind. Her eyebrows lowered in confusion. "Howl?" she murmured, breaking the silence.

"Mmm?"

"Do you have a son?"

Howl tensed, staring at the top of her head like she was some kind of beast waiting to make a kill. "Heavens no!" he raised an eyebrow. "What on earth gave you that idea?"

Sophie narrowed her eyes, trying to hold onto the foggy memory. "Last night in your castle, I thought I saw a little boy on the stairs just before I passed out. Maybe around eight years old or so…" she turned to look up at Howl expectantly. He visibly relaxed.

"Oh. That was just Markl, my apprentice," he said, as if it was the most unimportant thing in the world.

It was Sophie's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You have an apprentice?"

"Mmmhmmm."

"Oh." Sophie frowned. She couldn't exactly see Howl as teacher material. He was too immature. _Then again, most guys are, I guess,_ she had to remind herself. She did think a little more highly of him for taking on that responsibility, though.

Sophie chose not to bring up the talking fire—she was certain that was a hallucination.

They sat together for a while more. Sophie found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. She gave a huge yawn.

Howl glanced down at her. He saw how tired she was, and took that as his cue to be on his way. He stood up and looked at the clock meaningfully. Sophie got up as well. Together they crossed her bedroom and stepped out onto the moonlit balcony. They watched the stars for a brief moment, neither really wanting to say goodbye. Then they turned to each other. Howl was surprised to see tears gathering in Sophie's hazel eyes. He bent towards her in concern, wiping them away with his thumbs.

"Hey, hey! It's alright. This isn't the last time we'll see each other," he soothed.

Sophie sniffled and tried to compose herself. "I know," she whispered. "I'm just so grateful for the kindness you've shown me. No one's cared for me the way you have since my father died." She smiled.

Howl returned it. "It was my pleasure. You deserve all the kindness you receive and more, Sophie." And then he did something completely unexpected. He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the cheek.

A shock ran through Sophie's skin at the contact. She shivered and felt warm all over. She stared, stunned, at Howl as he leaned away. He caressed the sides of her face gently with the pads of his thumbs. "Goodnight, Sophie," he murmured and backed away from her. With one last kind smile, he jumped over the railing and disappeared.

A hand flew up to Sophie's cheek, touching the spot he'd kissed. The corners of her mouth turned up as she gazed out at the night. She wasn't stupid. She wasn't oblivious. She knew there was something bigger here than before. And whatever it was, she welcomed it with open arms.

**A/N: Yay! Fluff! (And I fooled you all, ha!) Even if it's only a little bit, it's better than none! **

**Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit rushed, I felt like there wasnt much to explain about their day and I wanted the chapter to be a bit shorter. If I were to go through and add every little detail about their time together, this chapter would go on forever. So yeah. I hope its fine with my readers. :')**

**Next chapter might take longer (a LOT longer probably) due to school projects (english research paper -.-") and my drivers ed classes, which are taking up a ton of my time already. Not to mention I get really lazy... But Spring break is at the end of this month so Ill try to get the next chapter up sometime during then, unfortunately im most likely getting my wisdom teeth pulled that week so I will be bed ridden for a few days and probably unable to do any writing or typing whatsoever. But ill get started on writing chapter 10 ASAP. I have a pretty good idea what I'm going to do.. It's just breaking past that no-motivation barrier that will be the hardest. Soooooo yeah, if you have all been with me this long, I think you can manage to wait a bit longer. Again, terribly sorry about such slow updates. Im trying to improve that. Wow long authors note. *yawn* I am getting my permit in two weeks though so Im pretty Psyched about that. DRIVING YAY. :3 **

**Since there are only a few reviews so far on last chapter and they are all pretty similar, I'm not going to do individual replies. But to those who did review (you know who you are c;), I thank you for your support and Im so happy that you're enjoying this story. I thank everyone for your continued support, and keep a lookout for the next chapter! Things will definitely start getting.. what would be a good word... spicier? Sure, that works, whatever. Im tired. **

**Keep sending in those reviews! They help me keep going! :)**

**See ya next time readers!**

**~SillyLeaf **


	9. In Which Howl Proposes an Invitation

**A/N: Hello again readers! Here's chapter 9 for you. This one's a bit on the shorter side because it's kind of a filler. The next one is longer. :)**

**Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own HMC.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 9: In Which Howl Proposes an Invitation<strong>

The door creaked open as Howl entered through it, sliding quietly shut behind him as he went up the stairs with a contented smile on his face. He began to make his way towards his bedroom upstairs when he heard a low moan emanating from the hearth. Turning, he curiously inspected the fireplace.

"Calcifer?"

The fire demon moaned again and raised his gloomy eyes towards Howl. The wizard noticed he looked more yellow than normal.

"What's wrong with you?" Howl asked in a low, gentle voice.

Calcifer managed to throw him an indignant glare and pointed a fiery finger beneath him at something dark sitting in the ashes. "This _thing _is what's wrong with me!" he hissed.

Howl tried to look sympathetic. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

Calcifer flared up the best he could in his state. "It's been beating a mile a minute for the better part of the day! Do you have any idea what that does to me?" he snarled.

Howl kept a straight face, feigning a response.

"You need to take it back," he continued. "I'm sick of it!"

Howl kneeled down to eye level with the demon. "I don't know what you expect me to do, Calcifer."

Calcifer inched closer to his face, flames licking dangerously towards Howl's blonde locks. "Find someone that can break the contract. I don't know how much longer I can hold this awful heart of yours!"

"You're the one who asked for it in the first place," Howl mumbled.

Calcifer growled in frustration. "You don't get it, do you? I asked for it because it was the only thing of yours that could keep me alive. Now this thing that once saved my life is ultimately going to be the death of me!" He burned low in sudden exhaustion.

Howl sighed, truly sorry for his friend. "I'll do what I can," he promised, standing up.

"See that you do," Calcifer hissed as the wizard went up the stairs.

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><p>Sophie didn't see much of Howl after her surprise day off. He was never at the barn when she went to work. Phoenix was there every day though, so she guessed he was doing something for the king or other. She went about her job, wondering if Howl would keep good on his promise that they would continue to see each other. She shook her head. Of course he would! He would have to come round to see Phoenix at least eventually. Sophie continued on with her daily routine.<p>

Two weeks later, Sophie was organizing the broom closet when an obviously discontented voice echoed from somewhere in the vicinity of the front door. Dreadfully curious, she stepped out of the closet and searched the aisle for the source of the noise. It was a quiet day in the barn, with Sophie working by herself, so every little sound made by the newcomer seemed to be magnified. She found them at the front desk.

"Long time, no see," Sophie stated, holding back a delighted smile.

Howl sat up abruptly on the chair he was seated upon. "Sophie! You're here today."

"You sound surprised." She raised an eyebrow.

Howl scratched his head distractedly. "Oh no, I… I wasn't sure—" he sighed and leaned back again. "Nevermind." He closed his eyes and groaned.

Sophie feigned sympathy. "Awww… What's wrong oh Great and Mighty Wizard Howl? The king got you buried in homework?" she teased.

"Unnnnngg yes," Howl grumbled, more than happy to complain to someone. "He's put me in charge of decorations for the upcoming royal ball. He wants all sorts of magical, floaty, sparkly thingamabobs to awe the guests. Decorations! It's completely unfair. Has he ever stopped to think that maybe I don't _want _to make magical décor for a ball?" He groaned dramatically again.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "He's the king; he can do whatever he wants."

"But maybe I don't _want _to do his bidding," Howl pouted.

Sophie put her hands on her hips. "Oh stop being a baby and just do it."

Howl stuck his nose up and crossed his arms childishly in response.

Sophie moved over to the desk and started organizing the papers that were in disarray all along the length of it. "I would think you'd be excited to show off your extravagance," she commented, stacking papers into a neat pile.

Howl sat up quickly, his face glowing. "That reminds me!" He shot out of the chair a spun a suddenly bewildered Sophie around to face him. She sputtered in surprise. Taking her small hands in his, he gazed into her hazel eyes. "Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the royal ball in two weeks?" A charming smile graced his lips as he waited for an answer.

Sophie's mouth hung open stupidly as she tried to process what he'd just asked. Howl's hopeful eyes bore into hers. She cleared her throat. "Uhhhhmmmmm… I…I guess…"

Howl laughed gleefully and kissed her hand enthusiastically. "Thank you! It will be just lovely, don't you worry! We'll go dress shopping next week. That will also be fun, for sure!"

Sophie was dumbfounded. Dress shopping? Was he _serious?_ She pulled her hands away from his. "Wait, what?" she squeaked.

Howl stopped his prancing to stare at her. "Dress shopping. You know, going into shops, looking at different dresses—"

Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes, yes, I know what dress shopping is. I was wondering _why _we have to go dress shopping."

Now Howl balked at her as if she was some foreign creature from a different planet. "Why? Because you can't go to a ball in rags, Sophie," he said in such a way that suggested the reason was blaringly obvious. Sophie scoffed, feeling rather taken aback. She turned away in a huff and tried to storm back to the broom closet. She was halted by Howl's hand catching her wrist. "Please Sophie, let me buy you a dress. You need something to catch people's attention," he pleaded.

Sophie was on the verge of smacking him so hard he would feel it for weeks. In a strained voice, she said, "You, sir, have just insulted me."

Howl's smile fell away like a dead fly and was instantly replaced with a look of horror as he realized what he'd just implied. He quickly jumped in front of her. "Wait, I didn't mean it that way! I just meant you need a ball gown because I'm certain you don't have one."

Sophie tried a weak smile. "You don't have to use your hard earned wages on me…"

Howl looked like he was going to laugh for a second but it went away. "I insist!" he took her hands in his again. "You'll love it, I can guarantee that. How does Saturday sound?"

Sophie shyly studied the jewels on his hand. "Well… okay."

"Lovely! We'll have such a great time." Howl looked up at the clock above the desk, alarm filling his eyes as he saw the time. "Shoot! I unfortunately have business to attend to." He smiled apologetically. "I'll see you Saturday then?"

Sophie smiled back and nodded. With a hasty farewell, Howl shot off out the door and into the bustling square. Sophie found herself gazing after him longingly.

Shaking away the intense desire to chase after him like an abandoned puppy, she set herself to her leftover work. But the warm feelings she had whenever he was around lingered annoyingly. She growled in frustration.

_Why must he do this to me?_

**A/N: OMG typing is soooo frustrating right now! My retarded laptop has been overcome by a virus so I have to type really slow or it will skip letters. Dumbass viruses... I have to move all my things to a flashdrive and crash my laptop at some point, sooner than later because this is incredibly frustrating. Soooo yah, wont affect my fanfics in any way, don't worry. **

**Look forward to the next chappie! Things start getting... spicy? That sounds like it works. ;P **

**Okay, buh bye. **

**(SCHOOLSOUTYESHHHHHHHHH!)**

**~SillyLeaf**


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